KCSE Grades: The least expected results from students in Kenya’s top national schools would be Es and Ds. But during the KCSE 2019, a total of 6,041 students in national schools performed poorly. From these, 338 scored E, 856 got D-, 988 scored D, 1,442 had D+ while 2,417 managed C-.
The 6,041 from national schools are among the 504,415 who scored between E and C- in all categories of schools nationally. Out of these, 29,318 scored E.
KCSE 2019 Results: Milkah Wanjiru scores B- from 179 KCPE marks
These results have poured old water on the assumption that getting into a National school is a direct ticket to a Grade A and the University.
Overall, the number of candidates with a minimum university entry qualification of mean grade C plus and above in 2019 is 125,746 (18.02 per cent), compared with 90,377 in the 2018 KCSE examination — a difference of 35,369.
The number of candidates attaining the highest overall mean grade (A Plain) rose from 315 (0.05 per cent) in 2018 to 627 this year.
Similarly, the number of candidates attaining a mean grade of A- shot up to 5,796 from 3,417 in 2018.
Girls performed better than boys in eight subjects: English, Kiswahili, CRE, Home Science, Art and Design, German and Kenya Sign Language. English, Kiswahili, chemistry, biology and physics are among the critical subjects where performance shot up in 2019 compared with 2018.
While some of the big names regained their crowns, some other once-renowned schools are still out in the cold as they failed to attain their former fame and top KCSE grades.
They include Maranda High School, Starehe Boys Centre, Lenana School, Moi Forces Boys, Mangu Girls and Pangani Girls, among other prestigious options for many joining secondary schools.
