More score over 250 marks despite slip at the top

• Kirinyaga, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi and Uasin Gishu lead counties
• Meru, Kiambu produce best pupils, as only 2,555 score above 400 marks nationally
• Admission to national schools to favour pupils from public centres
• 718 cases of cheating reported, the lowest in many years

Kiambu and Meru counties produced the top three candidates in last year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations.

Joy Kathure Kinoti of Fred’s Academy in Meru, Boniface Kiongo Mwaura of Genesis Primary School and Njomo Wachira of Utafiti, both in Kiambu County, each scored 430 marks to emerge tops in the results that were released on Monday.

The three-way tie of 430 marks was, however, a significant climbdown by 12 marks, compared to 2011’s best.

Then, the leading candidates, Martin Waiharo of Moi Educational Centre, Nairobi, and Christine Muthoni Kagiri of Tender Care Academy, also in Nairobi, topped with 442 marks.

Releasing the results, Education minister Mutula Kilonzo named Kirinyaga the best performing of the 47 counties — it had a mean score of 273. It was followed by Elgeyo-Marakwet, while Nandi was third.

Other counties in the top 10 were Uasin Gishu, Baringo, Makueni, Busia, Kisumu, and Tharaka Nithi and West Pokot, which tied at ninth place with a mean score of 263 marks.

Contrastingly, Mandera was at the tail end of the 47 counties with a mean score of 182 marks.

Other counties that appeared at the bottom of the chart were Garissa (46), Wajir (45), Tana River (44), Kwale (43), Lamu (42) and Taita Taveta (41).

Unlike in the past, no statistics were provided for the performances according to subjects, an important ingredient for assessing trends.

Last year’s KCPE was done against a backdrop of a number of challenges. One was a three-week teachers’ strike that paralysed learning and affected children’s preparation. Extra tuition was also abolished while cases of insecurity were reported in many parts of the country.

But despite the decline in top marks, Mr Kilonzo said the overall performance was better than in 2011 given the fact that this time round, more candidates obtained 250 marks and above.

“In 2012 a total of 416,900 candidates scored above 250 marks representing 51.35 per cent of the candidates who sat for the examination as compared to 48.26 per cent in the year 2011 and 49.38 per cent in the year 2010,” said the minister.

Like in the past couple of years, private schools took the lion’s share of the top positions, reinforcing the concern that the academies, which are generally well equipped and properly managed, have an edge over public institutions. All the best 20 schools were privately owned.

Overall, Newlight Komarock in Nairobi was the best performer, followed in second and third places by Makini Ngong Road Academy and Gilgil Hills Academy.

Other schools in the chart of top achievers were Marell in Bungoma, Fred’s Academy in Meru, Bomet’s Chelsa, Pleasant View of Kiambu, John Paul II of Laikipia, Josnem Academy in Nyandarua and Kathigiri B of Meru.

Reduced drastically

In sharp contrast from the past, cheating reduced drastically in 2011, from about 7,967 cases to 718 in 41 centres, and this constituted 0.09 per cent of the 811,930 candidates.

The highest number of cheating cases were recorded in Mombasa County (109). There were 88 cases of cheating in Nairobi, while Mandera had 76 and Kisii recored 61 cases. Names of the schools involved in cheating were provided.