This archive report was first published on 18 November 2019.
Kenya's 2019 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination results have been released, showing a notable improvement compared to the previous year. However, the number of pupils who achieved 400 marks and above has decreased.
The top-scoring pupil, Master Andy Michael Munyiri, achieved 440 marks, while three pupils - Flavian Onyango, June Cheptoo Koech, and Sean Michael Ndungu - tied for second place with 439 marks.
According to the results, 9,770 candidates scored 400 marks and above, a decrease from the 11,559 who achieved this mark in 2018. In contrast, the number of candidates who scored between 300 and 400 marks increased compared to the previous year.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha reported improvements in four out of six papers: English, Swahili, Sign Language, Social Studies, and Religion. However, Mathematics and Science recorded a decline in performance.
Magoha also commended the reduced number of exam malpractices, stating that there were only one or two cases of impersonation and no leaked exam papers, a historic achievement.
Additionally, Magoha noted a decrease in underage pregnancies compared to 2018, attributing this to parents spending more time with their children.
As part of the government's 100% transition program, all 1,088,456 pupils who sat the KCPE exams will proceed to secondary school. The government has allocated a record Ksh.8 billion to improve infrastructure in primary and secondary schools.
Magoha assured the public that every child who sat the KCPE exam will have a place in secondary school by December 2, with the government working to ensure a transparent, fair, and quick placement process.
