Education CS Julius Ogamba releases the 2025 KCSE results at the AIC Chebisaas Boys’ High School in Uasin Gishu County, January 9, 2026. /JULIUS OGAMBA/X

Male candidates outshone their female counterparts in virtually all science subjects in the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination.

Read Also
Coach Matano impressed, Siraj finds form and purpose at KCB Football
Yego seeks golden continental exit in Accra showpiece Athletics
TOUCHLINE COLUMN: Sh42.4m storm exposes fragile foundations of Kenyan football governance Football

While there was parity in some subjects, male candidates topped performance in 11 subjects: Mathematics (Alternatives A and B), Biology and Biology for the Blind, Chemistry, General Science, History and Government, Geography, Islamic Religious Education (IRE), Building Construction and Business Studies.

Releasing the results on Friday at Chebisaas Boys High School in Eldoret, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said female candidates performed better than their male counterparts in six subjects: English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Home Science, Christian Religious Education (CRE), and Art and Design.

Enjoying this article? Subscribe for unlimited access to premium sports coverage.
View Plans

Performance was, however, comparable in Physics, Agriculture, Computer Studies, French, German, Arabic and Music.

Ogamba said the number of female candidates registered in five subjects — Metalwork, Power Mechanics, Electricity, Drawing and Design, and Aviation Technology — was too small to allow for a meaningful comparison of performance with male candidates.

Overall, 1,932 candidates, representing 0.19 per cent of the total 993,226 who sat the examination, attained an overall mean grade of A (plain).

This marked an improvement compared to 2024, when 1,693 candidates, or 0.18 per cent, achieved the same grade.

A total of 30,714 more candidates sat the 2025 KCSE examination compared to the 962,512 candidates in 2024, representing an increase of 3.19 per cent.

Of the 993,226 candidates who sat the 2025 examination, 492,012 were male, and 501,214 were female, accounting for 49.54 per cent and 50.46 per cent of the total candidature, respectively.

“This is the second year in a row since the inception of the KCSE examination that female candidates have outnumbered male candidates,” Ogamba said.

The Cabinet Secretary noted that 10 counties recorded a significantly higher number of male than female candidates.

These were Garissa (66.24 per cent: 33.76 per cent), Mandera (65.09 per cent: 34.91 per cent), Wajir (60.10 per cent: 39.90 per cent), Turkana (57.67 per cent: 42.33 per cent), Narok (53.10 per cent: 46.90 per cent), Samburu (52.43 per cent: 47.57 per cent), Mombasa (52.08 per cent: 47.92 per cent), Homa Bay (52.00 per cent: 48.00 per cent), Nyamira (51.97 per cent: 48.03 per cent) and West Pokot (51.84 per cent: 48.16 per cent).

Fourteen counties recorded a significantly higher number of female candidates than male candidates.

These were Vihiga (55.905 per cent: 44.10 per cent), Elgeyo Marakwet (55.06 per cent: 44.94 per cent), Kisumu (53.87 per cent: 46.15 per cent), Kiambu (53.23 per cent: 46.77 per cent), Kwale (53.19 per cent: 46.81 per cent), Nairobi (52.90 per cent: 47.10 per cent), Kakamega (52.47 per cent: 47.53 per cent).

Meru (52.22 per cent, 47.78 per cent), Isiolo (52.21 per cent: 47.79 per cent), Uasin Gishu (52.14 per cent: 47.86 per cent), Machakos (51.87 per cent: 48.13 per cent), Kitui (51.74 per cent: 48.26 per cent), Busia (51.72 per cent: 48.28 per cent) and Tharaka Nithi (51.57 per cent: 48.43 per cent).

Ogamba said there was near-perfect gender parity in 23 counties. These were Lamu (49.11 per cent: 50.895 per cent), Marsabit (49.15 per cent: 50.85 per cent), Embu (49.24 per cent: 50.76 per cent), Tana River (49.25 per cent: 50.75 per cent), Laikipia (49.27 per cent: 50.73 per cent), Kisii (49.31 per cent: 50.69 per cent), Baringo (49.34 per cent: 50.66 per cent), Migori (49.48 per cent: 50.66 per cent).

Trans Nzoia (49.82 per cent: 50.18 per cent), Nandi (49.89 per cent: 50.11 per cent), Kajiado (49.99 per cent: 50.01 per cent), Taita Taveta (50.27 per cent: 49.73 per cent), Kericho (50.38 per cent: 49.62 per cent), Siaya (50.45 per cent: 40.55 per cent), Kilifi (50.53 per cent: 49.47 per cent), Bomet (50.59 per cent: 49.41 per cent), Nyeri (50.71 per cent: 49.29 per cent).

Nyandarua (50.71 per cent: 49.29 per cent), Murang’a (50.92 per cent: 49.08 per cent), Nakuru (50.95 per cent: 49.05 per cent), Kirinyaga (50.98 per cent: 49.02 per cent), Bungoma (51.24 per cent: 48.76 per cent) and Makueni (51.48 per cent: 48.52 per cent).