Candidates who topped the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination now know which national schools they will join.
The results for the Form One selection was released yesterday by the Ministry of Education. The students received notifications on the phone as they wait for the letters containing details of what is required of them when they report.
Some of the students were lucky to have been selected to schools of their choice, while others will have to contend with the ones they have been placed to.
Magata Bruce Makenzie, the top candidate who scored 428 marks, will join Alliance High School, a school of his choice.
His Gilgil Hills Academy Headteacher Lawrence Anyona said 53 out of 109 candidates were selected for national schools.
Ashley Kerubo, from Makini School Kisumu, who scored 427 marks and emerged second-best nationally, was joyous after receiving an admission notification from Kenya High School.
“I did not expect anything less, it has always been my dream school,” said Kerubo.
As some candidates celebrated for being placed in schools of their choice, it was a sad day for a set of twins who had requested the government to take them the same school.
Jesica Adongo and her identical twin sister Josephine Apiyo who sat their KCPE in Lwak Girls Primary School are to be separated if they take the slots.
Adongo, who scored 413 marks, is to join Alliance Girls High School, 74.8km away from her sister Apiyo’s (408) Mary Hills High School in Thika.
Yesterday, their parents were worried, saying the girls’ separation will psychologically affect them, hence affecting their education performance and future careers.
“They have never been separated in their lifetime, we are afraid they will suffer away from each other,” said George Oloo, their father.
A parent in Murang’a County, Mureithi Matu, said his daughter scored 408 marks and has been sent to Nyandarua High School, which was not her choice. She said the girl is demoralised.
“She chose Ngandu, Karima and Pangani and had performed well in KCPE,” said Dr Matu.
Triza Anyango, who emerged top at St Theresa Rapogi Girls Boarding Primary School by scoring 419 marks, had chosen Kenya High School but received a notification to join Mary Hill Girls High School.
Philip Karani from Likoni School for the Blind who scored 397 marks was selected to join Moi High School Mbiruri in Embu County. Karani’s choice school was Nakuru High.
However, it was celebration in the Western region where candidates who posted exemplary results are among those selected to schools such as Kenya High, Alliance Girls, Alliance High, Loreto Girls Limuru, St Brigid’s Girls Kitale, Moi Girls Eldoret, Mang’u High and Lugulu Girls.
In Bungoma, Charity Buyanzi Kwoma of Holy Family Misikhu Girls Primary School, who scored 426 marks and was the third-best nationally, will join Kenya High.
Never let them down
“My dream to join Kenya High School has come to fruition. I want to promise my parents, teachers and the country at large that I will never let them down. After four years, my name will be on the top list again,” said Buyanzi.
At Bungoma DEB Primary School, 73 out of 434 candidates were selected to join national schools.
Isaac Happyness Wanyama and Bradley Kenneth Wanyonyi led the pack of top candidates from the school who were selected to join the schools of their choice.
Headteacher Tobias Khisa said this was an improvement from last year’s performance where 52 candidates joined national schools.
“We never had our candidates selected to join Alliance High School until last year. We are happy this year we have more learners joining Alliance,” said Mr Khisa.
A total of 247 of the 501 candidates of Kakamega Primary School will join national schools.
Some of them are Baraka Wafula (Alliance High), Nelson Mokua (Alliance High), Evans Musyimi (Mang’u High), Regina Talia (Kenya High), Esther Damaris (Moi Girls Eldoret), Denver Liginga (Lenana School), Ian Ochieng (Maranda), Ryan Osale (Kapsabet Boys) and Precious Gift (Kenya High).
“Lenana School was my first choice and God has answered my prayers. I will now work hard to become a medical doctor,” said Liginga.
Tracy Iganza from the same school said, “I told my parents that I would work hard to join Starehe Girls and that has come to pass.”
At Mumias Central Primary, over 70 candidates will join national schools, just as 130 students from Fesbeth Academy Kakamega.
“The candidates were selected to join the schools they applied for and we want to applaud the Education ministry for doing a diligent job. I have talked to some of the candidates and they are happy,” said Ruth Minish, Fesbeth Academy Director.
At least 64 of 96 candidates at Mogotio Little Friends in Baringo County secured a place in national schools. Patience Kibet, the top candidate in the school with 424 marks, will join Kenya High School.
School Director David Kigen expressed satisfaction with the manner the selection was done. Eugene Rotich who came second with 422 marks was selected to join Nairobi School.
Rotich’s mother, Rachael Lorrus, said her prayer was to have her son join a school of his choice.
“My son had selected Nairobi School as his first choice. This is a dream come true,” she said.
Moi Primary School Kabarak’s top candidate Emmanuel Kiplagat, who scored 425 marks and ranked in the top 10 nationally, will join Kapsabet Boys High School. Malcom Murimi who scored 424 marks will join Mang’u while Elenor Oigo who got 421 marks will join Kenya High.
Paediatrician
At Sun and Shield Academy, Wendy Kipyegon, who scored 420 marks will join Kenya High, Turin Wilsalem (418) to join Nairobi School and Ryan Moguche (412) will join Maranda High School.
At St Peter’s Elites Gilgil, 54 candidates out of the total 122 were selected to join national schools. Ebenezer Kahigi who scored 423 marks will join Mang’u High while Ian Duncan who came second with 420 marks will join Alliance High School.
Musita Stephanie Nabwire of The Orchard School in Kitengela will join Lulgulu Girls after scoring 424 marks.
“I am happy because this was my first choice. I want to be a paediatrician like my mother,” she said.
Mitto Joy Femur who scored 418 marks at Migori Primary School will join Kenya High School just as she wished.
In Taita Taveta County, a beaming Brian Mwandoe Kivunga who scored 421 marks was selected to join Alliance High School.
“I am very happy to get the school of my choice and I promise to achieve my dreams of becoming an electrical engineer in future,” said the top performer from Mrugua Primary School in Mwatate Sub-county.
Mrugua Primary School Headteacher Urusula Sembua said she expected the boy to join the national school.
“We are happy that the boy got the school of his choice and we wish him the best of luck,” she said.
Emmanuel Kiplagat Ng’etich, who was ranked among the top ten candidates nationally after scoring 425 marks, was placed at Kapsabet Boys in Nandi County.
However, Kiplagat said his choice was Alliance High and he was not contented with Kapsabet Boys, which is only two kilometres from his home.
In Trans Nzoia, Kendrick Silingi who scored 424 marks is excited after being offered a slot at Alliance High.
“It was my dream to join Alliance High School. It was my first choice,” Silingi said.
Stephen Onyango, who scored 412 marks from St Joseph’s The Worker has been selected to join Starehe Boys, his first choice.
Ezekiel Kipchumba, a candidate from the Noble School in Eldoret who scored 420 marks was all smiles after securing a place at Kapsabet Boys High School.
“I thank God that I got the school of my choice. He answered my prayers,” Kipchumba said.
His schoolmate Jeremy Kemboi, who scored 418 marks, also got a place in the same school.
Peace Chepkoech is set to join St Brigids Girls High School, Kiminini after getting 411 marks, while Annan Rapando, who was a pupil at Kipkeino School and got 417 marks, join Alliance Girls High School, her first choice.
“I have always wanted to join Alliance Girls High School. This is a dream come true, and I am so excited,” she said.
[Report by Julius Chepkwony, Nathan Ochunge, Omelo Juliet, Obare Osinde, Faith Kutere, Edward Kosut, Renson Mnyamwezi, Hezron Kimary, Joackim Bwana, Kelvin Karani and Robert Menza, Boniface Gikandi, Mactilda Mbenywe, Ann Atieno, Sharon Owino]