NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 21 – The top candidate in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations scored 455 marks in marked improvement, compared to last year.
Speaking while releasing the results on Tuesday, Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi stated that the best candidate last year scored 437 marks and attributed this year’s improvement to strict guidelines in schools and the way the exams were administered.
“Our highest candidate this year scored 455 marks. You know last year, the top candidate got 437 marks which is a remarkable improvement. In fact, if last year’s top candidate was ranked, they would not even be in the top 20 category this year because we have candidates who have performed very well,” he said.
He stated that 9,846 pupils managed to surpass the 400 mark and that all candidates from both public and private institutions who scored above 400 marks will be placed in national schools.
Matiangi also indicated that there was no single case of malpractice detected during the 2017 examinations, meaning that all the candidates will receive their results.
“We are indeed and should always be grateful to God for our children. God has been kind and gracious to us and blessed us as a country with children and all of us especially those of us in the education sector have a special responsibility to raise our children in a responsible manner,” he stated.
The KCPE candidates can access their results through SMS and online platforms by sending their index number to 22252 or on the KNEC website.
The examinations got off to a smooth start on October 31, with minor hitches reported across the country with Matiangi stating that examination papers were safely distributed across all centres.
The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) said the fast release of the results was because of automated Optical Mark Recognition machines that fast-tracked the marking process.
KNEC Chairman George Magoha said the examination council bought 20 machines at a cost of Sh100 million to speed up the marking of scripts.
He emphasised that each student will get what is due to them as the scanners expedited the process.
“This time I want to guarantee you and you can take it to the bank. There shall be no complaints because our marks are at 99.98 per cent which means that each child will get what is due to him,” he stated.
According to Magoha, acquisition of the automated machines reduced the work force by up to 50 per cent.
Last year, the KCPE results were released on December 1.
The Teachers Service Commission Chief (TSC) Executive Officer Nancy Macharia who was also present observed that no irregularities were reported during the administration of this year’s exams.
“I would want to commend our teachers for accepting the critical role of centre managers which require them to wake up as early as 4am to be able to make it to the containers and so they did this job in a splendid manner,” she said.