In the rolling tea hills of Kericho, a fourteen-year-old 'school president' has delivered a masterclass in academic excellence, scoring a near-perfect 7.78 out of 8 in the 2025 Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA).

Nicky Kiplangat’s performance is not merely a personal victory; it is a resounding validation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) at the Junior Secondary level, setting a high bar for the pioneer Grade 9 cohort as they transition to Senior School.

A Blueprint for Excellence

Kiplangat, a student at Mangwein Educational Centre, has become the talk of the South Rift region after reports confirmed his exceptional grasp of the new curriculum. In a system designed to test practical skills alongside theory, Kiplangat achieved the highest rating—Exceeding Expectation 1 (EE1)—in almost every learning area.

According to verified reports, the teenager missed a clean sweep by the narrowest of margins. He scored Exceeding Expectation 2 (EE2) in only two subjects:

• Kiswahili: A competitive subject where he still ranked highly.
• Pre-technical Studies: A core practical area in the Junior School curriculum.

This consistency across diverse disciplines suggests a well-rounded intellect, crucial for a student who has already set his sights on one of the most demanding medical fields: neurosurgery.

The Village That Raised a Scholar

Behind the statistics lies a story of communal effort. Bernard Mutai, the Director of Mangwein Educational Centre, emphasized that such results are rarely accidental. Speaking to local press shortly after the release of the results, Mutai pointed to a triangular support system as the catalyst for Kiplangat's success.

"Nicky's performance reflects the commitment of teachers, cooperation from parents, and the learner’s own hard work," Mutai noted, highlighting the discipline required to balance leadership roles—Kiplangat served as the school president—with academic rigor.

The Road Ahead

As families across Kenya analyze the 2025 KJSEA results, Kiplangat’s story offers a tangible answer to the question often asked by skeptics of the new system: Does it work? For this Kericho family, the answer is a definitive yes.

With his eyes fixed on the operating theatre of the future, Kiplangat now prepares for Senior School, carrying the hopes of his community and the proof that with the right environment, the Kenyan child can compete with the best.