Mt Kenya schools shine as region top students among national best

Public schools in Mt Kenya region were yesterday celebrating good results in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exams.

Lindell Mwende, from Amwamba Primary School in northern Meru, scored 427 marks to earn a place among top performers nationally.

Mwende, who hopes to join Alliance Girls, was with her family and teachers as she celebrated her good performance.

“I thank God for this performance. My teachers and parents have been with me throughout the year, supporting me,” she said. 

The school’s headteacher Kamui Kithinji said girls performed better than the boys in this year’s exam.

Most of the candidates who scored above 400 marks were girls.

Out of 92 candidates at the school, only four had below 400 marks, with the lowest score being 270 marks. 

“We have been performing well in the past years and it is because of commitment by all the stakeholders; teachers, parents, and pupils,” he said. 

In Kirinyaga County, Kerugoya municipality produced the best pupil in the 2022 KCPE examinations. Mwaniki Baraka Mumo who scored 424 marks.

The school’s director Solomon Munene attributed the good performance for the 38 year old school to discipline and focus.

The headteacher at Highlands Academy in Timau, Isaiah Mbaabu, which had many candidates scoring above 400 marks, said private schools had also done well.

Sasha Waweru from Fred’s Academy had 426 marks.

Mbaabu, who is also the chairman of the Kenya Private Schools Heads Association, Meru chapter, said the best candidate last year was from a private school, with the top one getting 426 this year.

“The number of those with 400 marks has gone up. General performance of private schools is very good,” he said.

The school with 39 candidates had Mitchelle Mwaniki scoring 418 marks while Joy Muthoni had 409 marks.

In Murang’a County, Vidhu Ramji Primary school had five candidates with over 400 marks. Kamau Annie Wangui led with 422 marks. 

Two candidates, Lewis Otieno from St Peters Mumias Boys and Fwaro Makokha, a candidate at Christ the King academy in Bungoma, tied with 431 marks.

Technology Primary school had five candidates with above 400 marks. Rachael Muthoni scored 407 marks followed by, Kimani Claire Njeri (403), Kimathi Paul Mutwiri (401), and Karuro Grace Wanjiku and Njuguna Mary Wanjhiku with 400 marks.

At Kibutha day and boarding primary school, Maina Collins Finlay Njuguna had 407 marks, followed by Waithira Jackowen Maina (405), Njeri Patriciah Wanjiru (404), and Kamonjo Agatha Wangari got 401 marks. 

At Mareira primary school, Mungai Kennedy Macharia led with 412 marks, while Njoroge Hilda Wangui had 404.

Ryan Kahenya 418, Wilson Muriithi 416, Stacy Nyambura 411, and John Munania 411 also put St Emmanuel Kangari, Murang’a on the map with their good performance.

St Emmanuel Academy, Kangari produced 40 candidates with over 400 marks and a mean grade of 393 with the best candidate scoring 418 marks.

Girls in Meru were hailed for their good performance in this year’s exam, even as some public schools maintained their good showing. 

At Consolata primary schools girls again did well, with Cortney Mwendwa leading the pack with 422 marks.

Speaking in Nairobi yesterday when he released the results, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, noted Marsabit, Isiolo and Meru had a significant entry of more female than male candidates in the examination.

This was the reverse in Turkana, Garissa, Wajir and Mandera counties. Overall out of the 1,233,852 KCPE candidates, 620,965 (50.32 per cent) were boys while 612,887 (49.67 per cent) were girls. 

During the examination period, Marsabit County had registered the highest number of girls compared to boys for this year’s national examinations.

Statistics from the Department of Education in the county showed female students who sat for KCPE were at 3,328 compared to 2,988 male.

County Director of Education Titus Mbatha attributed the drop in number of male candidates sitting the exam to many dropping out of school to join boda boda business.

Reports by Abraham Fayo, Lydiah Nyawira, Phares Mutembei, Amos Kiarie, Jane Mugambi and Boniface Gikandi