The Kenya National Examinations Council has released the 2025 KCSE results, revealing strong performance gains and a growing number of top achievers across the country. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba officially unveiled the results at AIC Chebisaas High School in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
Out of 993,000 candidates, 270,715 achieved a C+ grade or higher, qualifying for direct university entry. The results also reflect a rise in younger candidates and highlight notable gender differences in subject performance across the country.
President William Ruto was briefed on the outcomes at Eldoret State Lodge, emphasizing transparency in the examination process.
Detailed Analysis of 2025 KCSE Results
The 2025 KCSE examinations tested candidates in 30 subjects across 74 papers. Of the 993,000 candidates, 492,019 were male while 501,214 were female. A total of 1,932 candidates achieved the highest grade A, signaling a rise in top performers compared to previous years.
National schools led in performance with 1,526 students scoring A, followed by Extra County schools with 197 and Private schools with 185. Sub-County schools outshone County schools in direct university entry, with 72,699 candidates attaining C+ and above compared to 36,600 from County schools.
The Ministry of Education also reported that 1,180 candidates were involved in examination irregularities and had their results cancelled, underlining the council’s commitment to fairness.
Gender and Subject Performance
The 2025 KCSE results show clear gender patterns. Female candidates outperformed male counterparts in six subjects, including English, Kiswahili, Home Science, Christian Religious Education, Kenyan Sign Language, and Art and Design.
Male candidates scored higher in 11 subjects such as Mathematics Alternatives A and B, Biology, Chemistry, History, Geography, and Business Studies. Performance in seven subjects, including Physics, Agriculture, Computer Studies, and Music, was comparable between genders.
KNEC noted that female participation in technical subjects like Metalwork, Power Mechanics, Electricity, Drawing and Design, and Aviation Technology remained too small for meaningful comparison, highlighting persistent gender gaps in technical education.
Trends in Candidate Age and Overall Performance
The 2025 KCSE results show an increase in younger candidates. Those aged 16 and below rose from 2.13 percent in 2024 to 2.65 percent in 2025. Candidates aged 17 to 19 years, the standard age group, formed the bulk of the cohort at 72.02 percent.
In total, 507,131 candidates scored grade C- and above, up from 476,889 in 2024. Those attaining D+ and above rose to 634,082 from 605,774 in 2024. Seventeen subjects recorded performance improvements, while 11 subjects saw declines, indicating mixed outcomes across the curriculum.
How to Check Your 2025 KCSE Results
All candidates can access their results via the official KNEC portal at results.knec.ac.ke using their examination index numbers. In a move to prevent delays caused by unpaid school fees, the Ministry of Education has introduced a new system where candidates will collect their KCSE certificates from sub-county offices instead of schools.
Gachagua Clarifies School Placement Remarks
The release of the 2025 KCSE results coincided with political tensions over school placement. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua recently faced criticism for remarks suggesting that school placement criteria favored certain communities. President Ruto warned against tribal politics, prompting Gachagua to clarify that his comments were misunderstood.
Gachagua reassured the public that the government remains committed to fair and merit-based school placement for all grade 10 students, emphasizing that ethnicity will not influence admission decisions. His statement came shortly after the KCSE results were released, calming concerns over perceived favoritism.
The 2025 KCSE results mark another year of educational milestones in Kenya, showcasing improved top-grade performance, rising younger candidates, and ongoing efforts to ensure equity and transparency in examinations and school placement.
