Education Centre
The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) is a certificate given to students at the completion of Secondary Education.
The examination is taken over October & November and the results are released in February the following year.
The KCSE examinations are taken under very strict supervision from invigilators to avoid cheating and run for a period of about one month. Cheating in these examinations attracts severe penalties from the Kenya National Examinations Council and students caught cheating get their grades cancelled. The exams usually start on October 22 and end in late November. From December, the exam is graded and released on February 26 the following year. Examination results are announced to the public by the Minister for Education and the top 100 students and schools are released to the media the same day of the announcement. School rankings are divided into the top 100 private schools, public schools and provincial schools.
The grading of the examination is as thus: A (80% and above) A- (79- 75) B+ (70-74) B (65-69) B- (60-65) C+ (55-59) C (50-54) C- (45-49) D+ (40-44) D (35-39) D- (30-34) E (0-29)
In Kenya, this examination is the entrance to public and private universities and the pass mark is grade C+. Students who attain a lower mark than C+ join other tertiary institutions for non-degree courses. Over time, stringent measures have been taken by the government to ensure and sustain the credibility of the KCSE examination. However, there have been instances of breaches of these measures leading to examination vices such as leakage to some selected students who if undetected end up scoring high grades. In detected cases, such students have been punished by having their results cancelled and examination officials who participated in the vice charged in a court of law.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of students take the examination after four years of the Secondary School Course and this examination is a major determinant of the individual’s future career. A good grade guarantees one a place in one of the public or private universities in the country.
Every year, once the KCSE results are released a nationwide attention moves to schools to know the best performing students and schools. In this article, we look at top schools in Kenya that have consistently delivered exceptional outcomes, earning their place among the best performing KCSE schools through discipline, effective leadership, and strong academic cultures. … Read more
Maranda High School has once again affirmed its position as one of Kenya’s top-performing national schools following the release of the 2025 KCSE results. In the 2025 examination, Maranda High School presented 566 candidates and achieved an impressive mean score of 10.2 (B+), reflecting strong mastery across subjects. The results show a heavy concentration of … Read more
In the 2025 KCSE results released in January 2026, Maseno School achieved its strongest performance in over a decade, recording a mean score of 9.8335 (B+). This reflected a notable improvement from its 2024 mean of 9.7. Maseno High School KCSE Performance 2025 The school presented a large candidature of 805 students, with an overwhelming … Read more
In the 2025 KCSE results, Riara Springs Girls High School maintained a solid showing among schools in Nairobi, with a mean score of approximately 9.05. This performance places the institution as one of the competitive private girls’ schools in the county, reflecting steady academic achievement and resilience in a highly contested examination environment. The 2025 … Read more
In the 2025 KCSE results released in January 2026, St. Gregory Koru Girls High School (often referred to as Koru Girls) maintained its status as a competitive academic institution in Kisumu County and the Nyanza region. It had a mean score of 8.4519 and 3 students had A minus. The university student transition rate to … Read more
In the 2025 KCSE examinations, Murang’a High School emerged as a top national performer, recording its best results in recent years with a mean score of 10.163 (B+). This reflected a significant improvement from its 2024 mean of 9.72. Murang’a High School KCSE Performance Breakdown Follow the Elimu Centre channel on WhatsApp: Click here → … Read more
In 2025, Mangu High School mean score slightly declined to 9.842, from 10,011 in 2024. The school recorded its highest entry (682 candidates) in the period. Notably, the number of top achievers remained impressive, with 92 A grades and 178 A– grades, underscoring Mangu High School’s ability to maintain competitive outcomes even with significantly expanded … Read more
Alliance High School continues to be a leading academic powerhouse in Kenya, consistently ranking among the top national schools in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations Alliance High School 2025 KSCE Performance In the recent KCSE Performance the school achieved a mean score of 10.4707 (A-), a positive improvement from 10.28 in 2024. … Read more
Alliance Girls High School is widely recognised for its great performance in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, consistently placing among Kenya’s top national schools. In the most recent 2025 KCSE cycle, the school achieved a mean score of approximately 10.0605, with a significant number of students attaining top grade bands (including around … Read more
Nyambaria Boys High School is a public National school and Seventh-day Adventist institution located in Nyamira County, Kenya. Established in 1966, the school has risen to national prominence as an academic giant in Nyanza. KCSE Performance 2025 In the results released in January 2026, Nyambaria achieved a mean score of 8.06, ranking it 3rd nationally. Out … Read more