Candidates who sat for the 2019 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) have recorded an improvement in performance compared to those of the last three years, this is according to Education Cabinet Secretary (CS), Prof. George Magoha.
Speaking on Wednesday while releasing the results, Magoha said that this is a confirmation that our teachers are now preparing candidates better and that the learners themselves can now engage in studies knowing well that their performance depends on individual input.
“Overall grade achievement in the 2019 KCSE the number of candidates attaining the highest overall Mean Grade (A Plain) in the KCSE examination rose from 315 candidates in 2018 to 627 in the 2019 KCSE examination,” explained Magoha.
The CS added that the number of candidates attaining the mean grade of A- (Minus) has shot up to 5,796 from 3,417 in 2018.
“The number of candidates with minimum university entry qualification of mean grade C+ and above in 2019 is 125,746 compared with 90,377 in the 2018 KCSE examination,” said Magoha.
Magoha highlighted that they have managed to completely wipe out the cartels in the sector that leaked examinations year in, year out.
“We have restored the credibility of our national academic credentials. Kenyans can now wear mirthful and confident faces whenever they are admitted to study in world class universities. They can find jobs in any part of the globe feeling confident that they are equal to any assignments that come their way,” he said.
He continued… “I can, therefore, state from the onset that the 2019 KCSE witnessed not an iota of examinations leakage. As we have assured the country, all candidates were able to access the examinations questions on the day they were supposed to be administered.”
In the schools with straight A’s, Kenya High School led with 76 followed by Kapsebt High School – 49, Alliance High School – 48, Moi Kabarak – 30, Alliance Girls – 27, Mary Hill – 25, Maseno School – 25, Nairobi School – 23, Mang’u High School – 23 and Moi Girls Eldoret – 21.
Tony Walukho from Kapsabet High School emerged the best student with an A plain of 87.159 points followed by Barasa Njeri of Kenya High School who scored an A of 87.087 points while Kaboge Odhiambo from Kapsabet High School got an A of 87.080 points, Anthony Owuor got an A of 87 points with Natasha Wawira of Kenya High School scoring an A of 86.9 points.
Magoha said that in the examination candidature during the 2019 KCSE examination, there were 667,222 candidates who sat the examination. Of these, 355,782 (51.03%) were male, while 341,440 (48.97%) were female, a near gender parity.
“A total of 1,672 candidates with special needs sat the 2019 KCSE examination compared with 1,499 candidates with special needs who sat the 2018 KCSE. The highest number of candidates with special needs who sat the examination comprised those who were Physically Impaired (651). Four candidates in this category scored a Mean Grade of A- (Minus) with 127 scoring a Mean Grade of C+ (plus) and above. Clearly, given a good environment, learners with special needs can excel in examinations,” said the CS.
On the admission to universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institutions Magoha said, “The Government wishes to have youth proceed to their next level (s) of learning without delay. I am therefore asking the 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.”
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
