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Breaking: KCSE results reveal 1,693 candidates scored A, while 48,333 scored E. CS Ogamba cancels 840 results over cheating as 246,391 qualify for university.

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.
A total of 993,226 candidates sat the KCSE 2025 examinations, up from 962,512 in 2024 (an increase of 30,714candidates, 3.19%).
1,932 candidates (0.19%) attained an overall mean grade of A (plain), rising from 1,693 (0.18%) in 2024.
Candidates attaining C+ and above (direct university entry) rose to 270,715 (27.18%), up from 246,391 (25.53%) in 2024.
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).
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.
National schools: 1,526 A (plain) grades
Extra County schools: 197 A (plain) grades
Private schools: 185 A (plain) grades
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.
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:
It establishes that integrity enforcement remained central to the release narrative (especially after social media misinformation during marking season).
It affects real families immediately—cancelled results force candidates into repeat-sitting decisions or alternative pathways.
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.
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.
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.
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
Under Kenya’s current structure, KUCCPS oversees placement, while funding is increasingly separated into scholarships, loans, and household contributions.
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.
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
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