Revealed: Only 7 public schools in top 100 ranking

Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi (centre) joins students and staff of Fred's Academy and PCEA Kathigiri Mixed Boarding Primary School in a song at the County offices on November 22, 2017. The governor gave the two schools Sh100,000 each for posting good performance. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Most public schools in the North Rift region posted impressive results.
  • Atiar Primary School in Baringo North produced the best pupil, Joy Jeptui Chepkelio.

Details of the top public schools that made it to the list of the best 100 institutions in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) can now be revealed.

Only seven schools are on the list, leaving the remaining 93 positions to private schools.

Kathigiri B Primary School in Meru County was the top public school, with a mean score of 404. But the school, which registered 71 candidates, was in position seven overall.

Bishop Muge Memorial in Nandi County, with 52 candidates, had a mean score of 390, emerging position 44 nationally.

WEBUYE

Ikombe Primary School in Machakos County and Webuye AC in Bungoma County tied in position 54, with mean scores of 389 each.

Kipkeino Primary School in Uasin Gishu, with a candidature of 62, had a mean score of 388 and was ranked position 66 nationally.

Kamoiwo Prep School in Nandi County, with 68 candidates, and St Peter’s Mumias in Kakamega County, with 217 candidates, had mean scores of 386 each and were ranked 73.

The best school in the country was Fred’s Academy, a private institution in Meru County. It had a mean score of 419.

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said public schools that performed well would be provided with funds to support their infrastructure.

“We will give these schools the necessary support to continue posting good results in national examinations,” said Dr Matiang’i.

He went on: “I thank teachers and parents who, in one way or another, prepared candidates until they were ready to sit the examinations.”

Dr Matiang’i said the government would work towards improving the welfare of teachers so that they could focus on teaching. He recalled a scandal the ministry exposed last year in some private schools that operated multiple examination centres with the aim of recording favourable rankings in national examinations.
WEAK

He said the schools registered bright students in separate centres from those viewed as weak.

“The proprietors of these schools were clearly using innocent pupils in an unscrupulous marketing exercise of their businesses.

This arose from the fact that weaker pupils enrolled in “satellite” examination centres would not bring down the mean scores of their main “marketing” schools,” said the CS.

Meanwhile, most public schools in the North Rift region posted impressive results, with a number of candidates scoring more than 400 marks, despite facing various challenges including insecurity. In Baringo County, five candidates at AIC Visa Oshwal in Kabarnet Town scored above 400 marks.

Atiar Primary School in Baringo North produced the best pupil, Joy Jeptui Chepkelio, who scored 411 marks, while Mumol in Baringo Central had a candidate with 425 marks.

In West Pokot County, Ortum Girls Primary, Kasaka, Shalpoh and Chepnyal were among the top public schools. Janet Leakey of Kasaka Primary School scooped 402 marks, while Kerore Anna Linnet of Ortum Primary School scored 401 marks.

CATTLE RAIDS

“For the first time in history, public schools have done us proud,” said West Pokot Knut executive secretary Martin Sembelo.

In Turkana County, Lucy Asimit Ngolea emerged the best candidate after scoring 420 marks. She sat the exams at Kainuk Mixed Day and Boarding Primary School on the border of Turkana and West Pokot, a region characterised by banditry and cattle raids.

In Kiambu County, Githunguri Township Primary School retained its position among the academic giants of the region, after 37 candidates scored more than 400 marks.

Its top candidate, Victor Mburu Tharao, had 442 marks. Head teacher Elizabeth Maina said 125 pupils sat the test.

Other counties were candidates in public schools posted impressive results included Nakuru, Laikipia, Kisumu, Vihiga and Bomet.

Reports by Ouma Wanzala, Florah Koech, Oscar Kakai, Sammy Lutta, Barnabas Bii, Gerald Bwisa, Dennis Lubanga, Eric Wainaina, Eric Matara, Reitz Mureithi, Steve Njuguna, Victor Raballa, Victor Otieno, Derrick Luvega and Geoffrey Rono