For the first time since stringent measures were introduced in 2016 to curb examination irregularities, 270,715 (27.18 percent) attained a mean grade of C+ and above, the minimum required for university admission. In the 2024 series, 25.53 per cent of the candidature qualified for university admission.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba announced the results on Friday at Chebisas High School in Uasin Gishu County.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba during the release of the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education results, at AIC Chebisaa Boys School in Eldoret City, Uasin Gishu County on January 09, 2026.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation
The number of candidates who scored a mean grade of C- (minus) and above was 507,131 (50.92 percent) in the 2025 KCSE examination, compared to 476,889 (49.41 percent) in 2024.
Similarly, the number of candidates achieving a pass grade (D+ and above) also rose to 634,082 (63.67 percent) compared to 605,774 (62.76 percent) in 2024.
The number of candidates sitting the exams also grew, with 993,226 students registering compared to 962,512 in 2024, an increase of 30,714 (3.19 percent). Female candidates slightly outnumbered males for the second year in a row, representing 50.46 per cent of the total.
This year, 1,932 candidates (0.19 percent) attained the prestigious A (plain) mean grade, up from 1,693 (0.18 per cent) in 2024.
National schools led in producing top performers, with 1,526 students attaining an A (plain) grade, followed by Extra County schools (197) and private schools (185). Sub-county schools outperformed county schools in the C+ and above category, registering 72,699 candidates compared to 36,600.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba and Educational Principal Secretary Professor Julius Bitok, arrive at AIC Chebisaa Boys School in Eldoret City, Uasin Gishu County to announce the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education results, on January 9, 2026.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation
Speaking during the release of the 2025 KCSE results, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the candidates whose results were released are now expected to transit to tertiary education, either in universities or Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
He noted that at the tertiary level, the government is implementing the Student-Centred Funding Model, which provides support to students and trainees through scholarships and loans, depending on their level of need.
“To enhance access and affordability, fees for academic programmes in our public universities have also been rationalized by 15per cent to 40 per cent, so that the fees for university programmes range from Sh5,800 to Sh75,000 per semester. I call upon all eligible candidates to apply for placement to programmes of their choice once the process starts,” said Mr Ogamba.
In subject performance, females outperformed males in English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Home Science, CRE, and Art & Design, while males excelled in Mathematics, Sciences, History & Government, Geography, and Business Studies. Seventeen subjects recorded overall improvements, compared to eleven that saw declines.
Under the revised KCSE grading system, which considers Mathematics, the best-performed language, and the top five subjects, 1,932 candidates (0.19 per cent) attained an A (plain) grade, up from 1,693 (0.18 percent) in 2024.
Female candidates slightly outnumbered their male counterparts for the second consecutive year, with 501,214 females (50.46 percent) and 492,012 males (49.54 percent). However, ten counties, including Garissa, Mandera, and Wajir, recorded a higher proportion of male candidates, while fourteen counties, including Vihiga, Kisumu, and Kiambu, had more female candidates. Twenty-three counties achieved near gender parity.
In the 2025 KCSE examination, 10 counties recorded a higher number of male candidates compared to female candidates. Garissa led the list with 66.24 percent male candidates, followed by Mandera at 65.09 percent and Wajir at 60.10 percent.
Other counties with a notable male majority included Turkana (57.67 per cent), Narok (53.10), Samburu (52.43), Mombasa (52.08), Homabay (52.00), Nyamira (51.97) and West Pokot (51.84 percent).
Conversely, fourteen counties had a larger proportion of female candidates. Vihiga recorded the highest female entry at 55.90 percent, followed by Elgeyo Marakwet at 55.06 percent and Kisumu at 53.87 percent.
Other counties with more female candidates included Kiambu (53.23 percent), Kwale (53.19), Nairobi (52.90), Kakamega (52.47), Meru (52.22), Isiolo (52.21), Uasin Gishu (52.14), Machakos (51.87), Kitui (51.74), Busia (51.72) and Tharaka Nithi, 51.57 percent.
Moi Girls' High School in Eldoret City, Uasin Gishu County's Chief Principal, Juliana Kurui (centre), teachers and students celebrate the school's exemplary performance in the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations on January 09, 2026. The school has a mean grade of 9.73, where 33 candidates got an A, and had a 98 percent transition to university.
Photo credit: Wycliffe Nyaberi | Nation Media Group
A majority of counties, 23 in total, recorded near-perfect gender balance among candidates. Lamu had 49.11 per cent male and 50.89 pe rcent female candidates, while Marsabit posted 49.15 per cent male and 50.85 per cent female. Other counties in this category included Embu, Tana River, Laikipia, Kisii, Baringo, Migori and Trans Nzoia., Nandi, Kajiado, Taita Taveta, Kericho, Siaya, Kilifi, Bomet, Nyeri, Nyandarua, Muranga, Nakuru, Kirinyaga, Bungoma, and Makueni, all reporting ratios close to 50:50.
Mr Ogamba noted that the number of candidates aged 16 years and below rose in the 2025 KCSE examination. A total of 26,391 candidates (2.65 percent) fell into this age group, up from 20,546 (2.13 percent) in 2024, indicating a slight increase in younger students taking the national exams.
He said the bulk of candidates, however, were within the typical age range of 17 to 19 years. This group constituted 716,048 candidates, representing 72.02 percent of the total candidature for the 2025 KCSE.
Further 17 subjects recorded significant improvement in performance in 2025, mirroring the number of subjects that improved in 2024. Meanwhile, 11 subjects had a decline in performance, slightly higher than the 10 subjects who performed poorly the previous year.
Female candidates outperformed their male counterparts in six subjects: English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Home Science, Christian Religious Education (CRE), and Art and Design.
Male candidates recorded higher mean scores than female candidates in eleven subjects, including Mathematics (Alternatives A and B), Biology (including Biology for the Blind), Chemistry, General Science, History and Government, Geography, Islamic Religious Education (IRE), Building and Construction, and Business Studies.
The performance of male and female candidates was comparable in seven subjects: Physics, Agriculture, Computer Studies, French, German, Arabic, and Music.
In five subjects—Metalwork, Power Mechanics, Electricity, Drawing & Design, and Aviation Technology—the number of female candidates was too small to allow for meaningful performance comparisons with male candidates.
