Behind the grades and statistics of the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations lie stories of grit, sacrifice and extraordinary courage.
From students battling chronic illness and poverty to girls rescued from forced marriages and harmful cultural practices, these candidates defied the odds to rewrite their futures.
When the KCSE results were released, Amanda Chepng’etich Kimutai could hardly contain her joy. The former Moi High School Kabarak student had scored a mean grade of A plain — a result that exceeded even her own expectations, given the difficult journey that defined her four years in high school.
Amanda Chepng’etich Kimutai a student of Moi Higschool kabarak who scored an A of 82 points despite being developing health complications months to the exams.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
Transitioning to boarding school was itself a challenge. Leaving behind the warmth of home and adapting to an environment filled with some of the brightest minds in the country demanded resilience, discipline and unwavering focus.
“It was a constant battle. Long nights of study, endless assignments, tight deadlines and frequent examinations became the norm. Balancing academics while trying to stay emotionally grounded and still do the things she loved was no small task,” she said.
Amanda found comfort in journaling and in the school’s music room, where she spent her free time listening to classmates play. But just as the final stretch approached, her journey took an unexpected turn.
In her final year, she was diagnosed with rhinitis, which was discovered late and which led to a build-up of fluid in her brain. Soon after, she developed rheumatoid arthritis, causing severe swelling in her fingers and intense pain that made it difficult to hold a pen or write.
“I would sit in class and feel my hands throbbing. Sometimes I could not write at all. It was frustrating because I wanted to keep up, but my body was failing me,” she recalled.
Her condition worsened, forcing her to be hospitalised and miss school at the most critical point of her academic life. The fear of not recovering in time — and of possibly repeating her final year — weighed heavily on her.
Yet from her hospital bed, Amanda asked for notes to be sent to her. With unwavering support from her parents, class teacher Mr Dennis Adero, her teachers, friends and form coordinator, she regained strength and returned to school to sit her exams.
“There were moments I thought of giving up, but I kept telling myself that the illness would not define me. I knew I had worked hard for four years, and I did not want to give up in the final stretch,” she said.
Amanda credits her success to God and to Moi High School Kabarak, led by Principal Elisheba Cheruiyot, whom she describes as a motherly figure. One moment remains etched in her memory — when the principal hugged her during an examination as she struggled to hold back tears.
“If I had never received that admission letter to Moi High School Kabarak, I would not be where I am today,” she said.
Amanda hopes to join Aga Khan University to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in science, with ambitions of becoming a pathologist.
Rescued from FGM and early marriage
In the North Rift, 50 girls rescued from Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and early marriages four years ago are now celebrating success in the 2025 KCSE examinations.
The girls are among 185 candidates who sat KCSE at Edward Limo Girls Educational Centre in Eldoret, posting grades ranging from B+ to C+, and opening pathways to university education.
Most were rescued from remote parts of Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot counties, where FGM remains prevalent. Since Form One, they have been under a full scholarship programme that allowed them to trade lives of trauma for education.
“Through various partners, we rescued these girls from the cut and early marriages and managed to secure scholarships for them to pursue their studies,” said Ambassador Kipyego Cheluget, the school’s proprietor.
“I celebrate these girls because they knew this was their one chance to make a difference in life, and for the last four years they have exhibited discipline and dedication to their studies. That is why we are celebrating them today,” he added.
One of the top performers, who scored a B+, said her success was her way of giving back.
“I thank God for this grade. It is my way of giving back to the donors who supported me,” she said.
“I want to join the university and study Law. I want to become a lawyer so I can fight for other girls subjected to FGM and other forms of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). I want to be the voice for those who are still silenced.”
The school posted a mean score of 8.04, with a 98 per cent university transition rate — a performance Principal Emanuel Bwalei attributed to the resilience of students from vulnerable backgrounds.
Poverty could not stop him from excelling
For Sammy Kigen Chepsergon, the journey to success began in hardship. Born in Barwessa, Baringo County, his early life was marked by instability. His mother fled an abusive marriage and later developed mental illness, leaving Sammy to be raised by his grandmother.
Sammy Kigen from Moi Kabarak High who scored A (plain) in 2025 KCSE exam.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
Despite the odds, Sammy showed exceptional promise in school. His dedication earned him a scholarship to a private school in Class Six, where he later scored 377 marks in KCPE.
But there was no clear plan for his secondary education. With sponsorship efforts failing, hope seemed to fade — until a relative helped him secure a scholarship to Moi High School, Kabarak.
Determined to make the opportunity count, Sammy joined with a clear goal: to score an A and pursue medicine. In the just-released KCSE results, he scored a mean grade of A-.
“I am grateful to God for what I achieved. I am also deeply thankful to Moi High School, Kabarak, for the support, and to my grandmother, whom I still live with, for standing by me and helping me get what I needed throughout my academic journey,” he said.
He beat sickle cell pain to secure a university grade
At Paul Boit High School in Eldoret, Benedict Juma’s desk was often empty — but his determination never was.
Battling sickle cell anaemia for four gruelling years, Benedict managed to score a mean grade of C+, officially securing his ticket to university.
Benedict Juma who scored a C+ in 2025 KCSE exams
“I passed through a lot of pain during my high school time,” he said.
“There were moments I did not think I would see the next term, let alone the exam room. But I kept praying, ‘God, give me the strength for one more day.’”
While his peers spent nearly the entire year in class, Benedict was lucky to attend school for just two months a year, spending most of his time in hospital wards battling painful crises.
“I want to take care of patients like me. I know what it feels like to be the person in the bed, waiting for relief. I want to be the person who brings that relief,” he said.
Principal Shem Busolo, whose school posted a mean score of 8.2 with over 88 per cent university transition, described Benedict as a beacon of resilience.
“Since Form One, there was not a single year he managed to stay in school for more than two months,” Mr Busolo said.
“We had to adapt our teaching and support systems to his medical condition. Most students struggle with full-time attendance; Benedict succeeded with almost none,” he added.
