The highest candidate in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination scored 428 out of 500 marks.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu on Thursday released the results of the 1,406, 557 candidates who sat their KCPE exams.
Speaking at the new Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) headquarters in South B, Nairobi, CS Machogu noted that 8,525 candidates scored over 400 marks, representing 0.60 per cent of this year’s class, while 352,782 candidates had between 300 and 399 marks, which is 24.92 per cent of the cohort.
At the same time, the 200-299 bracket had the most candidates at 658,278, representing 48.49 per cent, while 38,3025 others scored between 100 and199 marks, which is 27.05 per cent of the total number of candidates.
Those with less than 99 marks were 2,060, accounting for 0.15 per cent of the lot.
Overall, 51.3 per cent of this year’s class comprised male candidates while females made up 48.7 per cent.
“Female candidates performed slightly better than their male counterparts in English language, Kiswahili and Kenya Sign Language while the male candidates performed slightly better than their female counterparts in Maths and Science,” CS Machogu said.
“There were 9,354 candidates who never did the examination and we have given them the opportunity to come and do the exam in January.”
The education minister praised the high levels of integrity in this year’s examination, noting that only 2 candidates were involved in cases of exam malpractice.
The KCPE examination was administered between October 30 and November 1, marking the end of the 8-4-4 education system in primary schools.
The 8-4-4 has been in place for 39 years since 1985 when it replaced the 7-4-2-3 system. The 2-6-3-3-3 competency-based curriculum (CBC) introduced in 2017 replaces the former system.
“All education indicators show that the cohort is undergoing quality learning and teaching. I wish to assure the country that all the curriculum materials are in place to support the learners,” CS Machogu said on Thursday.