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.
The KCSE 2025 results once again highlighted Central Kenya as a strong academic region, producing some of the country’s best-performing secondary schools. From long-established national schools to fast-rising institutions. Best Performing Schools in Central Kenya KCSE 2025 School County Mean Alliance High School Kiambu 10.4707 Nova Pioneer Tatu Boys Kiambu 10.2 Murang’a High Murang’a 10.163 … Read more
Riokindo Boys High School is a prominent public boys’ boarding school located in Kenyenya Sub-county, Kisii County, Kenya. The school was officially elevated to a C1 school status under the new Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum, which classifies it as a national school. The school emerged as one of the top school in the Gusii region … Read more
In the KCSE 2025 examinations, Sarif Mixed Day Secondary School delivered an impressive and inspiring performance proving that school category does not define academic potential. Despite being classified as a C4 school, Sarif Mixed Day produced results that rival—and in some cases surpass—those posted by well-established national and extra-county schools. Overview of the 2025 KCSE … Read more
Kalulini Boys’ High School is a public boys’ boarding school located in Kibwezi, Makueni County, Kenya. Under Kenya’s new education curriculum, it is categorized as a C2 school, which corresponds to an extra-county level institution. 2025 KCSE Results Summary Mean Score: The school achieved a mean standard score of 7.161, which is an improvement from … Read more
Mumbuni Boys High School is Extra County or C2 public boys’ secondary school located in Machakos County, near Machakos town. The school serves students from Machakos and neighbouring regions and is known for its steady academic focus and discipline. Mumbuni Boys High School KCSE 2025 Results Summary, offer a clear picture of the school’s academic … Read more
St. Theresa Makueni Girls’ Senior School is a public girls’ boarding secondary school located in Makueni County, Kenya. It is categorized as a C1 school under the new Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum, which corresponds to the national school level of placement. The school is known for its strong academic performance and high university transition rates, … Read more
In the 2025 KCSE examinations, Cardinal Otunga High School, Mosocho, continued its trend of strong academic performance, achieving a university transition rate of 91.37%. Follow the Elimu Centre channel on WhatsApp: Click here → Join Our WhatsApp Channel Cardinal Otunga School -Mosocho 2025 KCSE Performance Highlights Mean Score: The school recorded a mean standard … Read more
Kenya’s education system continues to produce remarkable academic outcomes, and extra county schools in Kenya play a critical role in this success. Often competing closely with national schools, the best extra county schools in Kenya have earned a strong reputation for consistent KCSE excellence, and disciplined learning environments. These institutions draw learners from multiple counties … Read more
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