Top performers in 2005 KCPE prove they’re still best

By Harold Ayodo

The theory that most candidates from the academies and urban public schools who lead in the KCPE do not do well four years later in KCSE has been proved wrong.

The Standard kept track of some star performers in the KCPE of 2005 and compared their positions then with how they fared in the KCSE results released on Tuesday.

A good number of those who led the pack in the Standard Eight exams in 2005 acquitted themselves well in Form Four, remaining on course for careers of their dreams.

The dominance of David Gathuku, the overall top candidate in KCSE, dates back to his performance in KCPE.

Patrick Kogie of Alliance Boys who emerged seventh overall. [PHOTOS: FILE AND JENNIFER WACHIE/STANDARD]

Edwin Magema from WeiWei Secondary School in West Pokot who emerged the sixth best candidate nationally and the best in Rift Valley.

Magema, like Njung’e, did not feature in the top 100 students in KCPE.

Clarence Eboso who was position 17 in KCSE also did not feature in the list of top 100 in KCPE in 2005.

"It is not a guarantee that the top students at entry (Form One) will automatically lead in KCSE," says the Alliance Principal.

Kariuki said another boy, Cheruiyot Andrew Kipkorir of Alliance who was position eight nationally in KCSE never featured in the top 100 in KCPE.

Kipkorir scored 442 marks out of 500 in KCPE and a performance index of 87.17629.

The performers attributed their success to sustained hard work.

Nairobi top boy, Oduol said four years ago: "My dream is to join Starehe after emerging the top in the country."

Good student

Starehe Principal Paul Mugo said Oduol had been among the top students in the institution since he joined Form one in 2006.

"He (Oduol) was a good student even though not every student who tops in KCPE repeats the feat easily in KCSE," Mugo said.

Oduol was index number one, confirming his excellence at the traditional academic giant.

Four years ago, then KCPE top performer Bettina said: "My dream is to join Alliance Girls’ and to pursue my dream of becoming a computer engineer."

Alliance Girls High School principal Dorothy Kamwilu said the performance of Bettina in KCSE was no surprise.

"She was the top pick at Alliance Girls in 2006 and maintained excellence until Form Four...she was our index number two," Kamwilu says.

Prestigious academy

The index number one at Alliance Girls Rebecca Njeri did not sit KCSE last year as she was selected to join the prestigious Leadership Academy in South Africa.

Njeri was position 68 in KCPE after she managed 448 marks out of the possible 500 marks.

"Njeri was a promising student and her excellence guaranteed her a place at the prestigious academy where she is doing well," Kamwilu said.

The exemplary repeat performances were also recorded by most top performers is a regular trend, the principals concurred.

The Alliance Principal said, however, the results are full of surprises like having some who never featured near the top on KCPE emerging victorious in KCSE.