In a long-awaited announcement on Friday, Kenya’s 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results revealed a milestone in the national school system.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has declared that 1,932 candidates earned the top grade of A in this year’s exams. Even more notably, 270,000 candidates scored at least a C+, the minimum grade for direct entry to university.
Out of about 993,000 candidates who sat the exams, roughly 27 per cent have secured that direct path into higher education, according to data shared with President William Ruto before the official results release in Eldoret.
The overall performance suggests sustained participation and achievement under Kenya’s current secondary education framework. Gender balance was notable, with girls representing half of the cohort reaching university entry grades.
Experts and school leaders have largely welcomed the outcomes, pointing to steady progress in academic standards and student preparedness. Still, some educators urged a focus on equitable access to quality instruction across regions and school types.
The 2025 KCSE exams were administered between October and November 2025, with written, oral and practical assessments conducted nationwide. In the lead-up to the results, the Education Ministry reported 418 cases of suspected exam malpractice, a drop from the previous year’s figures.
For comparison, in the 2024 KCSE cycle, about 246,000 candidates achieved C+ and above, with 1,693 earning top A grades. The small yet meaningful uptick this year highlights shifting performance patterns as Kenya refines its assessment systems.
Candidates and families can now access results via the official Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) portal, and those qualifying for university placements will soon start the application process with the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
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