KCSE results show growing interest in science, but cheating still a concern

NAIROBI – Maranda High School, which rose to fame last year for its best performance in Kiswahili subject, moved a step further to emerge top school in the Kenya Certificate of secondary Education (KCSE) results for 2011.

According to the results release today by education minister Prof Sam Ongeri, Alliance High School was second while Alliance Girls School came in third. Starehe Boys was fourth while Mangu High School took the fifth position.

The rest top ten schools were: Moi Girls High School, Kenya High School, MaryHill Girls High School, Pangani Girls School and Starehe Girls Centre. Boys have dominated the top positions nationally.

In the top ten positions nationally, boys took seven while girls managed three. The top student was Nalianya K Job of St Peter’s Seminary in Eldoret followed by Gikonyo Victor Gitau and Odhiambo Emmanuel both of Alliance High School. The top girl was Lonyangapuo E Chelagat of Alliance Girls High School and came in fourth nationally.

Releasing the results at Mitihani House Nairobi, Education minister Sam Ongeri said there was improved performance in 16 subjects last year as compared to 13 in 2010. The subjects that recorded better grades included Mathematics, Physics, Biology and Kiswahili among the compulsory subjects and 12 other elective ones. He said a total of 1,930 candidates achieved a mean grade of A plain.

Prof Ongeri announced that the Education Ministry had cancelled the results of 2,927 candidates due to cheating. “Exam irregularities are a threat to the credibility of our national examination and is a major concern to the Ministry,” he said. Only 11 out of the 47 counties were not involved in cheating. These were: Nyeri, Turkana, Laikipia, Taita Taveta, Tana River, Nyandarua, Machakos, West Pokot, Nyamira and Trans-Nzoia.

Other candidates who occupied the top ten positions nationally were: Sidney Oirere (Maranda High School); Gachigwa Brian Ruhiu (Starehe Boys Centre); Aseta B Faith (Moi Girls High School); Kariuki Alex Murimi (Alliance High School); Tyson Odhiambo Manyara (Maranda High School) and Guyaki Oisebe (Precious Blood Riruta). A total of 411,783 students sat for the examination.