Rawlings Odhiambo Aketch of Kakamega Hill School emerged among the country’s top KCPE candidates in the 2018 results, scoring 453 marks out of 500 and tying for first place with Olive Mwea Wachira of Riara Road Primary in Nairobi.
The results were released on 20 November 2018 at Star of the Sea Primary School in Mombasa by Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed. Kakamega County again featured prominently after producing the best candidate the previous year, Goldalyn Kakuya of St Annes Junior School, Lubao, who scored 455 marks in 2017.
Kakamega Hill School principal Mrs Selpha Omulisia said the outcome had exceeded expectations. “This is another of God’s miracles. We knew our candidates would perform well but we did not expect to produce a top candidate,” she said.
Other strong performers from Kakamega included Merabu Adan Osinga of Booker Academy with 449 marks, Victor Kituyi of Fesbeth Academy with 446, Charles Chiteti of St Peters Boys with 444, Samora Ochieng’ of St Peters Boys with 441, Austin Namai of Fesbeth with 440, Paul Khamala of St Peters Boys with 437, Grace Karimi of Booker Academy with 436 and Valentine Opata of Booker Academy with 435.
Joshua Kiribwa of Mudasa Academy in Vihiga scored 434, Hushim Walusee of Fesbeth Academy got 432 and Wayne Mahata posted 430. Nationally, Mogusu Victor Momanyi of Emmanuel Springs Academy in Makueni scored 452, Leonard Asanga of Moi Primary School, Kabarak, had 451 and Mwangi Ashley Wambui of Kutus Municipality Primary School in Kirinyaga County scored 447.
Joshua Angwekwe of Rudan Junion Academy and Njue Chantal Njeri of Thika Road Christian School each scored 446. Ngetich Ryan Kipkurui of Whitestar Academy and Namisi Sharon Namikoye of Tender Care Academy had 445 each, while Njagi Ronnie Gathuku of Effort Junior School, Kerugoya, in Kirinyaga scored 444. Alvin Gikunju of PCEA Kahawa Sukari, Debra Gakii of Kathigiri Boarding and Hilary Muriungi of Fred’s Academy, Meru County, each scored 442.
Private schools again dominated the top end of the table, extending a pattern that has persisted for years. The article linked that trend to the introduction of free primary education in 2003, which increased enrolment in public schools without a matching rise in teachers and facilities.
Overall performance improved in 2018. A total of 12,273 candidates scored 401 marks and above, up from 9,846 in 2017 and 5,143 in 2016. Those who scored 301 marks and above rose to 228,414, compared with 217,307 in 2017 and 207,141 in 2016. At the lower end, 2,177 candidates scored below 100 marks, down from 2,360 the previous year and 6,747 in 2016.
Candidates with special needs also improved, with the top scorer posting 446 marks, compared with 426 in 2017.
The quick release of the 2018 results reflected reforms that began in 2006 under then Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, aimed at tightening exam administration and restoring credibility. In earlier years, KCPE results were often released after Christmas, long after marking had ended, a delay that officials said had created room for manipulation by unscrupulous Knec officers taking cash to alter grades.
Amina Mohamed said tougher monitoring had reduced cheating. She said only four candidates had their results cancelled after being found guilty of impersonation during pre-examination checks. “We stepped up measures against cheating, starting with pre-examination monitoring in the second term. As a result, most of the would-be cases of cheating were prevented. However, during the monitoring exercise, our vigilant teams discovered four candidates guilty of impersonation. These four will have their results cancelled,” she said.
She added that performance had improved since the stricter measures introduced in 2016, saying the lowest point had been that year and that the trend was now rising as teachers and candidates adjusted to a system where hard work mattered more than cheating.
Form One selection was scheduled to begin on December 3, with successful candidates expected to join secondary school in January. The ministry said selection would be done once, without the second round that had been used in the past.
Out of 1,052,364 candidates who sat the exam, 525,070 were girls, representing 49.90 per cent, while 527,294 were boys, or 50.10 per cent. Girls outnumbered boys in 23 of the 47 counties, including Kakamega, Nairobi, Meru, Nakuru, Bungoma, Siaya, Kisii, Kitui, Embu, Kisumu, Tharaka Nithi, Uasin Gishu and Kericho.
Even so, boys still led overall performance, while girls performed better only in English, Kiswahili and Sign Language. Boys did better in mathematics, science, social studies and religious education.
Another concern was the 8,347 candidates who did not write the examinations. That figure was down 14 per cent from 9,726 in the previous year, but officials still treated it as a national problem because it could reflect dropout or double registration linked to cheating.
Knec chairman George Magoha said exam cheating was now a thing of the past and warned that anyone still hoping to beat the system had no place in the current arrangement, where a multi-agency team was securing the examinations. He praised teachers for “a superb job'' in preparing learners and said those who had relied on shortcuts had been forced to adapt to a changed environment.
Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said the ministry would audit school infrastructure to establish the real state of facilities and guide future investment in resources and equipment.
