KCSE exams: Former giants in Central bounce back
Japheth Jeremy Mwangi of Kagumo High School celebrates at Rongai village in Nyeri County after he scored an A grade of 83 points in the 2023 KCSE examinations.
What you need to know:
- Kagumo High, St Mary’s Girls and Nanyuki High are among schools that posted stellar performances.
- Moi High School Mbiruri produced 8 A plain and 20 A- to emerge the best performing school in Embu County.
Former education giants in Mt Kenya reclaimed their lost glory as they posted exemplary performance in the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
There was jubilation in Nyeri’s Kagumo High, Meru High, Nkubu High (Meru), Murang’a High, Nanyuki High (Laikipia) Moi High- Mbiruri (Embu) and St Mary’s Girls Igoji (Meru) as the results trickled in following announcement by Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu.
Other schools that showed their prowess in the exams were Baricho High (Kirinyaga), Bishop Gatimu Ngandu Girls (Nyeri), Nginda Girls (Murang’a), Karega Day Secondary (Murang’a), Kabare Girls (Kirinyaga), St Joseph Allamano Secondary (Nyeri), Makuyu Girls (Murang’a) and Kenyatta High School Mahiga (Nyeri).
School principals said obtaining results from the Knec portal was more convenient and cost effective.
“The system was fast because, unlike in the past when it used to take almost an entire day, it took us only one and half hours to obtain results for over 400 candidates,” said Mwenda Rutere, Meru school principal.
In Nyeri, Kagumo Boys emerged the best with the 396 students who sat for the national examinations last year scoring a mean grade of 9.306. The school registered 21 A plain, 28 A- (minus) and 107 B+.
Speaking at the institution, chief principal Silas Mwirigi attributed the success to a collaborative study approach established between the students and teachers, noting that most of the students were taken through extra remedial classes.
“Because of this, 96 percent of the candidates in last year’s class have qualified to go to university,” he said.
Two students, Ryan Thabuku and Kamore Villa, emerged top at the school with A plain of 84 points. Japheth Jeremy Mwangi, came in second with a A plain of 83 points.
Phillip Muthami, who was the top student at Murang’a High after getting grade A says medicine is his first choice. He said God was by his side in the journey to his success.
Nanyuki High, one of the most sought-after schools in the country, posted a record 15 A plain and 72 A-(minus). This was the most impressive performance in the recent past where 286 out of 331 candidates who sat the national examinations scored C+ and above.
Alex Nzeka, one of the top candidates who posted an A plain told the Daily Nation on phone that he put much effort into his studies to reward his parents who were struggling to educate him.
Nanyuki High chief principal Solomon Koech, who was posted to the institution last year following the retirement of Oliver Minishi, said there was a marked improvement compared to the 2022 KCSE.
“Last year, we had only four plain A’s and 44 A- (minus) and a mean score of 8.890, which has risen to 8.897, a positive index of 0.07 despite the number of candidates having increased by 94. We attribute the good performance to committed staff and a very disciplined class of 2023,” said Mr Koech.
In Tharaka-Nithi County, Chuka Girls’ High School produced one of the top students in the region, Mercy Mutheu, who scored an A plain while six others got A- (minus).
Speaking after receiving the results, the principal, Ms Joan Muthomi Muchina, said all the 270 candidates got good grades and will b joining university.
“We are proud to get a student with a A plain and six with A minus which is a great achievement,” said Ms Muchina.
In Kirinyaga, Baricho Boys High School produced 25 A plain, 86 A- and 109 B+, emerging one of the best learning institutions in Mount Kenya region.
According to the school principal Benard Mwangi, out of 449 candidates who sat for last year’s KCSE, 400 (89 percent) qualified to join public universities. The school posted a mean score of 9.2 compared to last year’s 8.6.
“This year we have an impressive improvement and we are grateful to God,” said Mr Mwangi.
And in Embu, Moi High School Mbiruri produced 8 A plain and 20 A-, becoming the best learning institution in Embu County.
The school principal Patrick Nderitu said majority of the 2023 candidates have qualified to join public universities.
Isiolo Boy’s student Ali Muzamili scored a B+ while Shamin Ahmed Yakub from Takaba Girls in Mandera County got an A - (minus).
Materi Girls in Tharaka Nithi recorded a meanscore of 8.715 while Meru’s Christ the King managed 8.8 and Miathene Boys 7.8.
Reported by Mwangi Ndirangu, Alex Njeru, Mercy Mwende, George Munene, Gitonga Marete, Mwangi Muiruri, Manase Otsialo, Waweru Wairimu and Sophia Wanjiru
