Newlight Junior Academy pupils celebrate after the release of KCPE results on January 28, 2013. The school emerged first nationwide. Photo/ALPHONCE SHIUNDU NATION MEDIA GROUP
By EMMANUEL TOILI etoili@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Monday, January 28 2013 at 12:03
Posted Monday, January 28 2013 at 12:03
IN SUMMARY
- Kinoti Kathure (Meru), Mwaura Boniface (Kiambu) and Wachira Njomo (Kiambu) top KCPE exams with 430 marks
- KCPE: Top three schools nationwide include New Light Academy (Nairobi), Makini School Ngong Road (Nairobi) and Gilgil Hills (Nakuru)
- KCPE was done at 33,426 centre last year
- About 811,930 candidates sat for the KCPE exams
Three candidates Kinoti Joy Kathure, Mwaura Boniface and Wachira Njomo have topped last year's KCPE exams with 430 marks.
Three schools namely New Light Academy (Nairobi), Makini School Ngong Road (Nairobi) and Gilgil Hills (Nakuru) also topped the rankings.
While addressing stakeholders at Mitihani House, Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo announced that Kirinyaga, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Nandi, Uasin Gishu, Baringo, Makueni, Busia, Kisumu, Tharaka and West Pokot were the top counties.
Mr Kilonzo also notes that the KCPE examination was a pointer to the performance of education sector in the country.
"We have put in place many reforms in the Ministry of Education to ensure quality services delivery," he said.
"The Kenya Examinations Act will help stakeholders to contain any irregularities and improve performance in schools," he added.
Mr Kilonzo also stated that his ministry has overseen the enactment of several laws that will improve the education sector.
He also said that free and compulsory education had helped the government manage education adequately.
"I thank the President, the PM and Parliament because nobody stood in my way in achieving goals," he said. " We have policies to help develop talents and improve the assessment in the education sector."
Mr Mutula said the curriculum will be reviewed to achieve Vision 2030 that emphasises on technology.
"We are sending teams to countries with elaborate education systems so as to learn on the best practices to incorporate into our system," he said.
"The education offered must be competent and subject related to ensure quality education," he added.
Mr Kilonzo said that students should proceed to secondary schools regardless of their results.
" I will not allow pupils to drop out at class eight. They should go all the way. It's their constitutional right," he said.
Mr Kilonzo also said that he had recommended a change in the academic calendar to be in tandem with the financial year for easy planning and funding.
"The Ministry of Education will institute all necessary changes in the sector to improve on service delivery in all schools," he said.
"Academic and financial calendars should be harmonised so that money is disbursed to schools promptly," he added.
Mr Kilonzo said that the academic calendar had been adjusted with elections in consideration.
"Government must ensure elections are held away from school calendar. Schools to close on Feb 27 for half term," he said.
Mr Kilonzo also said gender parity had been achieved in most counties.
"Gender parity has been achieved in 36 counties where the ratio of boys to girls was 50:50," he said.
He said that 11 counties had a lower number of girls than boys who sat for the exams.
West Pokot, Narok, Migori, Garissa, Mandera, Wajir were among 11 counties that had great gender disparity according to Mr Kilonzo.
He also said that 302 students sat their exams from prison while 42 from the hospital.
Mr Kilonzo noted that 88 people were arrested for involvement in examination irregularities up from 14 the previous year.
He said Knec still continues to offer exams in the Nuba mountain region of Southern Sudan.
Knec CEO Paul Wasanga said that KCPE was done at 33,426 centre last year and candidates were registered using online system.
He also said KCPE is not a pass or fail examination and that every candidate is issued a certificate to acknowledge their achievements.
"The mark of the KCPE candidate is to assist the Government to know where to place them," he said.
Education PS Prof George Godia also said that the Ministry has improved the quality of education as well as ensuring key Bills are passed.
"School going children have access to affordable, quality and equal education," he said. "More students have accessed accessed basic education through free primary and secondary education that we made compulsory."
Prof Godia noted that the country has 78 national secondary schools and 27 others will be added next year.
He also said that the Ministry ensure provision of sanitary towels to girls and the the integration of ICT in schools.
"We want to ensure data harmonisation in the education sector," he said.
The KCPE results which are normally released towards the end of December have instead been released in January due to the teachers' strike which paralysed learning in third term.
Mr Kilonzo will also announce the top performers. About 811,930 candidates sat for the KCPE exams last year.
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