KCSE 2025 Results Released in Eldoret: Full Breakdown, Key Numbers, Integrity Decisions, and What Happens Next

ELDORET, Kenya — January 9, 2026 — Kenya’s 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results were officially released today in Eldoret (Uasin Gishu County), with Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba announcing national performance data, irregularities action, and new administrative changes around how candidates will access results and collect certificates. 

The release ends days of intense national anticipation for a cohort that now stands out for two reasons: it is among the last major waves under the 8-4-4 pathway, and it is graduating into a rapidly changing post-secondary system where placement, funding, and household contributions are structured differently than in the past. 

1) The verified national headline numbers

Candidates who sat

A total of 993,226 candidates sat the KCSE 2025 examinations, up from 962,512 in 2024 (an increase of 30,714candidates, 3.19%). 

Top grades

1,932 candidates (0.19%) attained an overall mean grade of A (plain), rising from 1,693 (0.18%) in 2024. 

University entry (C+ and above)

Candidates attaining C+ and above (direct university entry) rose to 270,715 (27.18%), up from 246,391 (25.53%) in 2024. 

Wider “pathway” thresholds

• C– and above: 507,131 (50.92%), up from 476,889 (49.41%) in 2024 

• D+ and above (pass grade): 634,082 (63.67%), up from 605,774 (62.76%) in 2024 

These metrics matter because they determine how many learners can realistically compete for university slots (C+), diploma routes (often C– and above depending on programme), and certificate/technical pathways (D+ and above and other programme requirements).

2) School category performance: what the results show (without relying on unofficial rankings)

Kenya repeatedly sees viral “top school lists” after results day, but those lists are often disputed and can be incomplete, misleading, or unauthoritative. Today’s most verifiable picture is therefore school-category performance, not sensational rank tables.

Where the A’s came from

• National schools: 1,526 A (plain) grades

• Extra County schools: 197 A (plain) grades

• Private schools: 185 A (plain) grades 

The most important “quiet shift” in the mid-tier

At C+ and above, Sub-County schools produced 72,699 candidates, compared with 36,600 from County schools—a signal that performance gains are not only concentrated in flagship national institutions. 

This is one of the most consequential insights from the release: the expansion of university-qualifying grades increasingly depends on the long tail of day and sub-county schools, not just the traditional elite pipeline.

3) Integrity and cancellations: what was officially announced

The Ministry confirmed that 1,180 candidates had results cancelled due to examination irregularities, citing applicable regulations that empower KNEC to cancel results after investigations conclude. 

This figure is critical for two reasons:

1. It establishes that integrity enforcement remained central to the release narrative (especially after social media misinformation during marking season). 

2. It affects real families immediately—cancelled results force candidates into repeat-sitting decisions or alternative pathways.

4) Subject performance: what improved, what declined, and the “Maths headline”

The Ministry reported a mixed subject trend:

• 17 subjects improved

• 11 subjects declined 

Mathematics was highlighted as the best-performing subject in the 2025 KCSE release commentary, and it remains a pivotal determinant because it is compulsory and directly influences overall grading under the reviewed system. 

Gender patterns (officially stated)

• Female candidates posted better mean performance in: English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Home Science, CRE, Art & Design 

• Male candidates posted better mean performance in 11 subjects including: Mathematics (Alt A & B), Biology (and Biology for the Blind), Chemistry, General Science, History & Government, Geography, IRE, Building & Construction, Business Studies 

• Performance was described as comparable in: Physics, Agriculture, Computer Studies, French, German, Arabic, Music 

This is useful for parents and schools because it points to where targeted interventions and resource allocation may have the biggest marginal gains.

5) How candidates can check results (official channels)

Candidates can access provisional results using:

• KNEC online portal (schools also download detailed result slips via the portal) 

• SMS code 20076 (commonly used for provisional results access) 

Due to the frequency of scams during national exam seasons, candidates and parents should avoid “result upgrade” offers or unofficial links—KNEC has previously issued warnings against fraudsters claiming they can alter scores during marking. 

6) The certificate policy shift: why it matters to families

A major administrative change emphasized in the results cycle is that candidates will collect KCSE certificates from Sub-County education offices, rather than schools—aimed at curbing the long-standing practice of withholding certificates due to fee arrears. 

Practically, this change affects:

• Speed of certificate access for job, college, and scholarship applications

• Student mobility (especially for candidates whose schools previously delayed releases)

• Equity for families still clearing balances

7) What happens next: KUCCPS placement and the new funding reality

Placement remains KUCCPS-led

Under Kenya’s current structure, KUCCPS oversees placement, while funding is increasingly separated into scholarships, loans, and household contributions.

Funding now runs through the new Higher Education framework

Kenya’s New Higher Education Funding Model / Variable Scholarship and Loan Funding (VSLF) approach ties government support to assessed need, combining:

• Scholarships (Universities Fund)

• Loans (HELB)

• Household contribution

• Often processed through the Higher Education Financing (HEF) portal 

For candidates and parents, the critical takeaway is that a strong KCSE grade is necessary but not sufficient for affordability; funding and household contribution are determined through the need-assessment process and programme cost structure. 

8) What we can verify today — and what requires caution

Verified from credible, accessible sources today:

• National candidature and year-on-year change 

• Grade distribution highlights (A, C+, C–, D+) 

• Category performance (National vs Extra County vs Private; Sub-County vs County at C+) 

• Results cancellations due to irregularities 

• How to access results 

• Certificate collection policy shift