High achievers in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations in Malindi and Magarini Sub Counties, Kilifi County, have continued to celebrate their achievements despite a marginal drop in performance.
At Bandacho Primary School in Magarini Sub County, four candidates scored 400 marks and above, but teachers and parents were unhappy with the outcome since the school had 17 candidates with 400 marks and above in the 2023 examinations.
However, the candidates who scored high results were elated by their achievements, which they attributed to God, hard work and cooperation with parents and teachers.
15-year-old Salim Rabia Hussein, who scored 408 marks said her dream school was Kenya High School and that she aspired to be a bank manager.
Her classmate, Matthias Moses Charo, 14, who scooped 402 marks said he would like to join Kapsabet High School and ultimately become a surgeon.
Mbaji Stephen Kithi, 14, and Ngala Daniel Alison, 14, who scored 400 marks each, attributed their success to hard work, discipline and dedication of teachers and parents. Both of them want to join Kapsabet High School and later become a lawyer and a surgeon respectively.
However, School Headteacher Constance Kanze Mwaria said she expected a better performance and wondered what could have happened since the 2023 class was better than the 2022 one that managed to get 17 candidates who scored 400 marks and above.
Some parents said they were unhappy with the results and said there was need to find out what had happened and whether there is a possibility to review the results to establish whether there was foul play.
However, students, teachers and parents at Kingsway Junior School where the highest candidate scored 388 marks, broke into song and dance to celebrate the results, which they attributed to God, hard work and discipline.
School Manager Jane Waithaka and Headteacher Edwin Onyango expressed joy at the results, which they said had taken hard work to achieve as the class was not good at the beginning of the year.
Isaac Mwaka, who scored 388 marks said he dreamt to join Murang’a High School and was aspiring to be a neurosurgeon while Jane Chengo, who had 349 marks said she would like to join Moi Forces Academy, Lanet and later in life become a medical doctor.
By Emmanuel Masha
