KCPE exam results released without merit list

Politics and policy

Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi (right) releases the 2014 KCPE results at Mitihani House, Nairobi, on December 29, 2014. He is flanked by his principal secretary Belio Kipsang (left), KNEC CEO Joseph Kivilu (2nd right) and KNEC chairperson Kabiru Kinyanjui. PHOTO | JENNIFER MUIRURI 

By MUGAMBI MUTEGI

In Summary

• Education cabinet secretary Jacob Kaimenyi handed over the results of 880,486 pupils who sat the examination this year in a peculiar event which did not see top candidates or schools mentioned.

The government has released Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam results that, for the first time, did not include the perennial ranking of students and schools in order of merit.

The move has upset hundreds of private schools that count on official rankings to attract business.

Education Cabinet secretary Jacob Kaimenyi handed over the results of 880,486 pupils who sat the examination this year in a peculiar event which did not see top candidates or schools mentioned.

Instead the county education chiefs were handed the overall results of schools in their jurisdictions.

“Ranking creates unnecessary competition among schools which may as a result lead such schools to engage in examination irregularities to compete favourable,” said Mr Kaimenyi during the release of the results at Mitihani House.

A total of 443,672 candidates (or 50.39 per cent of the total candidature) attained between 1 and 250 marks while 436,814 pupils got more than that 251 marks, representing 49.61 per cent of those who sat the exam.

The government abolished the ranking of schools and candidates to reduce cut-throat competition and cheating in national examinations, a move that has since been protested by teachers unions who claim they were not consulted.

There were a total 1,702 cases of irregularities in the examination -- representing 0.19 per cent of all candidates -- with Kiswahili and English being the most affected subjects.