How Candidates Performed in 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (kcse) Exams

Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba announced that 993,226 candidates sat the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, up from 962,512 in 2024, representing an increase of 30,714 candidates (3.19%). According to the Ministry, 17 subjects recorded significant performance improvements, the same number as in 2024, while 11 subjects saw a decline, slightly higher than the ten subjects that declined the previous year. A total of 1,932 candidates (0.19%) attained an overall mean grade of A (plain), compared to 1,693 candidates (0.18%) in 2024. The number of candidates achieving the direct university entry grade of C+ and above rose to 270,715 (27.18%), up from 246,391 (25.53%) in 2024. Similarly, those scoring C– and above increased to 507,131 (50.92%), compared to 476,889 (49.41%) the previous year. Candidates attaining a pass grade of D+ and above also rose to 634,082 (63.67%), up from 605,774 (62.76%) in 2024. In terms of school performance, national schools produced the highest number of top performers, with 1,526 A (plain) grades, followed by Extra County schools (197) and private schools (185). At the mid-performance level, Sub-County schools outperformed County schools in the number of candidates attaining C+ and above, with 72,699 compared to 36,600 respectively. On performance per gender, female candidates recorded better mean score performance than male candidates in the following six subjects: English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Home Science, CRE and Art & Design. On the other hand, male candidates recorded better mean score performance than female candidates in 11 subjects: Mathematics Alternatives A and B, Biology and Biology for the Blind, Chemistry, General Science, History & Government, Geography, IRE, Building & Construction and Business Studies. "The performance of male candidates was comparable to their female counterparts in the following seven (7) subjects: Physics, Agriculture, Computer Studies, French, German, Arabic and Music," said the CS. On examination irregularities, CS Ogamba reported that 1,180 candidates were found to have engaged in misconduct. “Consequently, and in line with the applicable law and regulations, their examination results have been cancelled,” he stated.