359,144 candidates scored D, D- and Es in 2025 KCSE exams

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba and Basic Education PS Julius Bitok release the 2025 KCSE results at AIC Chebisaas Boys’ High School in Uasin Gishu county, January 9, 2026. /JULIUS OGAMBA/X

A staggering 359,144 candidates scored grades D, D– and E in the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, whose results were released on Friday.

Speaking during the release ceremony held at AIC Chebisaas Boys’ High School in Uasin Gishu County, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said a total of 993,226 candidates sat the 2025 KCSE examination.

He said the candidature comprised 492,012 male candidates and 501,214 female candidates, representing 49.54 per cent and 50.46 per cent of the total, respectively.

Out of this number, Ogamba said 1,932 candidates, representing 0.19 per cent, obtained an overall mean grade of A plain.

National schools produced the highest number of candidates with a mean grade of A at 1,526, followed by extra-county schools with 197 and private schools with 185.

Overall, the number of candidates who attained the direct university entry qualification of mean grade C+ and above stood at 270,715, representing 27.18 per cent, while those who scored mean grade C– and above totalled 507,131, or 50.92 per cent.

Subcounty schools produced more candidates in the C+ and above category compared to county schools, accounting for 72,699 and 36,600 candidates, respectively.

Ogamba said that overall, 634,082 candidates, or 63.67 per cent of the total candidature, attained the pass grade of D+ and above.

According to the statistics, 268,783 candidates obtained a mean grade of C+, 236,416 obtained a mean grade of C–, while 126,951 attained a mean grade of D+.

This left a balance of 359,144 candidates who obtained mean grades of D, D– or E.

Learners in this category have the option of pursuing vocational training in various institutions following the ministry’s decision to lower entry requirements in 2023.

The minimum entry grades for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions vary by course level but generally accept C– for diploma programmes, D for craft certificates and E for artisan certificates.

However, Ogamba said 1,180 candidates were found to have been involved in examination irregularities and, as a consequence, their results were cancelled in line with applicable laws and regulations.

For the third year in a row, the examination results were computed using the reviewed grading system, in which the overall grade considered Mathematics, the best-performed language among English, Kiswahili and Kenyan Sign Language, and the best-performed five subjects.

Female candidates recorded better mean score performance in English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Home Science, Christian Religious Education (CRE), and Art and Design.

Male candidates performed better 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.

Performance in Physics, Agriculture, Computer Studies, French, German, Arabic and Music was comparable between the genders.

However, Ogamba noted that the number of female candidates who sat Metalwork, Power Mechanics, Electricity, Drawing and Design, and Aviation Technology was too small to allow for a meaningful comparison of performance with their male counterparts.