For the second year running, public schools in Nyanza had a good showing as they produced most of the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination top performers, a Nation tally has shown.
However, private schools topped the charts in Kisii, Homa Bay and Migori counties.
Little-known Rae-Kanyaika Primary School in Kisumu produced the best candidate in the region–Ochola Felix Omondi–who scored 426 marks, just two points shy of national top candidate Michael Warutere from Riara Springs Academy in Nairobi.
The school’s head teacher, Mr Paul Odhiambo, said about 167 pupils sat for the exams.
“Four candidates got above 400 marks. Last year, the top student had 398 marks, meaning we made tremendous improvement,” he said.
Maraquilla Nyamasenge and Samson Kinara, both from Imperial Primary School in Kisii, scored 423 marks, with the institution producing 29 pupils with more than 400 marks.
Orina Okumu Felix from St Andrew Kaggwa in Nyamira County also scored 423 marks. The school had 45 pupils with more than 400 marks, with Omboga Matonda getting 422 marks.
“We had projected a mean score of 370, but we have surpassed that. The first boy scored 423 marks up from 403 last year,” he said.
At Eronge Adventist Boarding Primary School in Nyamira, 36 candidates scored over 400 marks, the highest being Ombaye Nyamanyara Trevor’s with 413. School head Kepher Bwana said: “We had a total of 350 candidates. Those who scored between 300-399 marks are 289, only 24 did not attain the 300 mark,” said Mr Bwana.
In Kisii, The Precious Hope, Imperial Primary, Excel Elementary School, Olympic Junior, Maxwell Academy Campus and Sunlight Academy Nyamache were among those whose pupils posted stellar performances.
At Maxwell Academy Campus, Daniel Osano Rogito defied the odds, having sustained burns on his limbs and neck, to score 410 marks.
“I would like to join Mang’u High and thereafter proceed to university. I want to become a neurosurgeon so that I can rectify the wrong surgery that was conducted on me,” Daniel said.
At Precious Hope Jogoo, the top candidate was Ivy Moraa who attained 420 marks.
In Migori County, Rongo Shiners Academy produced one of the best candidates in the county. Jeremy Junior Bwana scored 415 marks while Fidel Castrol Odhiambo scored 407.
At Hekima School in Kisumu, Lesley Akinyi scored 407 marks, Rackel Achieng’ 405 and Leon Tom Omole 400 marks.
School director Richard Guya lauded the pupils for their performance, linking it to “a team of dedicated staff, pupils and good parents.”
Golden Elite School Kisumu’s top candidate was May Maggy Sunday with 420 marks. The school’s deputy, George Ambira, credited the good results to discipline.
“Discipline is key in the performance of the pupils. We had 84 candidates, with only two pupils scoring less than 300 marks,” he said.
In Siaya County, Siaya Central Primary School and Ng’iya Girls Boarding Primary School each had the top candidate scoring 413 marks–
“We have seen a remarkable improvement in the performance by the candidates,” said Mr Kowino.
St Gorretty Nyamonye was among the private schools that performed well in the county, with the top candidate Alex Mich scoring 417 marks.
Shirley Anne Akinyi Ndalo from Lwak Primary School, who had 410 marks, attributed her to performance to “dedicated teachers and supportive parents”. She would like to be an aerospace engineer.
In Janeiro Junior Academy in Rangwe, Homa Bay County, top candidate Joy Akinyi had 419 marks, with 48 other candidates attaining more than 400 marks. The school has been one of the top performers in the county and presented 122 candidates in the exams.
The school’s Rodi branch had seven out of 37 registered candidates score 400 marks and above. The top candidate Nasim Hasman with 416 marks.
Homa Bay town’s King Solomon Academy’s top candidate was Joy Achieng’ who got 414 marks at St Cape View Academy whose top candidate Fidel Carson got 406 marks.
At Father Schaffer Boys Boarding in Rangwe, an early check showed that the school’s top candidate was Austine Gregory with 413 marks. Head teacher Alice Wambui said they registered 194 candidates. An
“Our performance is attributed to team work and dedication among teachers, learners and their parents. We also prayed to God for guidance,” she said.
At St Antonny Wachara Christian School in Ndhiwa, founder Micheal Agwanga said his school’s top performer scored 407 marks.
“We started the school to provide a platform where students from Ndhiwa can learn and shape their future. The region has had a history of poor academic performance and we are out to change that,” he said.
- Reporting by Justus Ochieng’, Elizabeth Ojina, Ruth Mbula, Wycliffe Nyaberi, George Odiwuor, Rushdie Oudia and Kassim Adinasi.
