Kenya High School posted a mean score of 10.467 to top nationally in this year’s KCSE examinations and also produced the highest number of A students.
However, Buluma Tony Wabuko of Kapsabet Boys High School posted 87.159 points to emerge the best candidate nationally, while Barasa Maryanne Njeri of Kenya High came second with 87.087 points.
Aboge David Odhiambo of Kapsabet Boys was third with 87.080 points.
Antonny Owuor Ochieng of Maseno School posted 87.0 points, while Mathuri Natasha Wawira of Kenya High scored 86.961 to close the top five slots nationally.
Other candidates listed in the top 10 best nationally are Kizito Ezra Sikuta of Moi High School, Kabarak, Long’ali Chepengat of Alliance Girls and Ndathi Hellen Njoki of Kenya High School.
Siele Chekleng’at Aileen of Moi Forces Academy Lanet and Laura Chelangat Ruto of St Brigid’s Kiminini closed the top 10 cream.
The number of candidates who scored grade A doubled while students who attained the minimum university entry grade of C+ rose by 35,000 compared to last year, highlighting the general improvement in performance.
Best students
Kenya High School produced three candidates in the top 10 best students nationally.
Releasing this year’s KCSE results, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha said Kenya High School produced 76 As, followed by Kapsabet Boys (49), Alliance High (48), Moi High School Kabarak (30) and Alliance Girls (27).
MaryHill School had 25 As while Maseno School, Nairobi School and Mangu High tied with 23 As each. Moi Girls School Eldoret closed the top 10 list with 21 As.
The Standard learnt that these were the top schools even on mean score.
Prof Magoha said this year’s results that saw girls outshine boys are the best in four years since reforms in education started.
“Since we reformed the system of administering the examinations, candidates have settled down to working hard on their own – under the leadership of their teachers – to prepare for examinations,” Prof Magoha said.
He said the number of candidates attaining the highest overall mean Grade (A plain) in the KCSE examination rose from 315 candidates in 2018 to 627 this year.
Similarly, the number of candidates attaining the Mean Grade of A- (minus) shot up to 5,796 from 3,417 last year.
Overall, the number of candidates with minimum university entry qualification of mean grade C+ and above in this year is 125,746 compared with 90,377 last year.
Magoha directed Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) to immediately put in place mechanisms to start placing the 2019 KCSE examination candidates in the various courses they are qualified for.
The CS also said this year’s results show candidates who scored lower marks in KCPE had improved to register quality grades.
Overall, female candidates performed better than their male counterpartsin English, Kiswahili, CRE, Home Science, Art and Design, German and Kenya Sign Language.
Magoha said candidates improved in 16 subjects compared to 14 subjects last year.
“Eleven subjects recorded a significant decline in performance in 2019 compared with 12 in 2017.
There was no significant change in performance in three subjects,” Magoha said.
He singled out English, Kiswahili, chemistry, biology and physics as some of the critical subjects where performance significantly shot up in 2019 compared with 2018.
He said cases of cheating have significantly gone down with only 1,309 examination results withheld. Last year, some 4,519 candidates did not get their results over cases of cheating.
Notable cases of cheating were use of mobile phones, carrying unauthorised materials to examination rooms and collusion.
“This year, we have also withheld results for 658 candidates just for routine checks on small details, including accuracy of their names and registration details.
These results will be released to candidates as soon as the verification process is completed,” Magoha said.
Finer details reveal that national schools produced less than a quarter of candidates who attained minimum university entry grades.
Data shows that national schools produced only 20,482 candidates who will join university.
Extra-county schools produced the most number of candidates qualifying for university entry at 47,949.
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