Kenya’s latest secondary school results have reopened a familiar debate: why do boys and girls continue to perform differently across subjects?
In the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations, male candidates recorded stronger results in most science and technical subjects, while female candidates led in languages and creative fields. Education officials say the pattern mirrors past years, even as overall performance improves.
The results were released on Friday at AIC Chebisaas Boys’ High School in Eldoret by the Education Cabinet Secretary, Julius Ogamba.
“Male candidates performed better in eleven subjects, while female candidates led in six,” Mr Ogamba said, reading from the national analysis.
Boys topped performance in Mathematics, both alternatives A and B, Biology, Chemistry and General Science. They also led in History and Government, Geography, Islamic Religious Education, Building Construction and Business Studies.
Girls, on the other hand, outperformed boys in English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Home Science, Christian Religious Education and Art and Design.
In several subjects, including Physics, Agriculture, Computer Studies and Music, the gap was negligible. “Performance was comparable,” CS Ogamba said, suggesting that in some areas, long-standing differences may be narrowing.
The data also showed limits to comparison. In five technical subjects, Metalwork, Power Mechanics, Electricity, Drawing and Design, and Aviation Technology, the number of female candidates was too small to allow a meaningful assessment alongside boys.
Beyond subject choice, the overall results pointed to modest gains. A total of 1,932 candidates scored an A (plain), representing 0.19 per cent of the 993,226 students who sat the exam. That was a slight rise from 2024, when 1,693 candidates achieved the top grade.
More students also sat the exam. Candidate numbers rose by just over 30,000 compared with last year, an increase of 3.2 per cent.
Gender balance in participation remained close. Female candidates made up 50.46 per cent of the cohort, edging out boys for the second year in a row.
“This is only the second time since the KCSE began that female candidates have outnumbered males,” CS Ogamba noted.
The national picture, however, masked sharp regional differences. In counties such as Garissa, Mandera and Wajir, boys formed a clear majority of candidates. In others including Vihiga, Kisumu, Nairobi and Kiambu, girls outnumbered boys by a wide margin. More than twenty counties recorded near-equal participation.
Education experts say the subject trends reflect deeper questions about access, teaching methods and cultural expectations.
About the Author
