By PAMELA CHEPKEMEI
Nairobi County had the highest number of pupils who scored over 400 marks during last year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Examination (KCPE).
The results released yesterday in Nairobi by Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi indicate that total of 5,976 candidates from across the 47 counties scored over 400 marks.
A total of 1,032 pupils who sat for their exams in Nairobi had over 400 marks while Kiambu County took the second position with 501 pupils. Nakuru County was third with a total of 449 pupils.
But counties mainly from semi-arid areas got the minimal number of pupils who managed over 400 marks. Isiolo, Turkana, Samburu, Wajir, Mandera, Garissa and Tana River counties had less than ten candidates from each of them who scored over 400 marks.
Some counties managed only a pupil with over 400 marks. Wajir and Mandera had one pupil each, while Tana River, Isiolo and Lamu had two pupils each. Seven pupils from Garissa had over 400 marks while Taita Taveta had eight. Turkana County had three candidates who scored above 400 marks.
Most improved
At the same time, Wajir, Marsabit, Turakna and Samburu were among the counties recognised by the Ministry of Education as the most improved. The other three are Homa Bay, Mombasa and Nairobi.
Although Nairobi led with pupils who have over 400 marks, it also had five pupils who scored between 0 to 50 marks. Garissa had the highest number with ten candidates obtaining 0 to 50 marks.
Nakuru and Garissa counties each had 584 and 555 candidates who scored between 51 and 100 marks respectively. Only two candidates from West Pokot County got between 51 and 100 marks.
A total of 844,571 candidates sat for the KCPE exams between November 12 and 14 2013. Some 906 candidates from Nuba Mountain Region of Southern Sudan were among those who sat for KCPE.