The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has released the 2025 KCSE results, continuing the use of the revised grading system introduced in 2023.
Under this system, a candidate’s overall grade is determined by performance in Mathematics, the best-performing language among English, Kiswahili, or Kenyan Sign Language, and the top five other subjects.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba explained that this approach aims to give a more holistic picture of a candidate’s abilities, ensuring that strong performance in core subjects like Mathematics and English is appropriately recognised.
According to the results released on January 9, 1,932 candidates, representing 0.19 per cent of the total candidature, attained a mean grade of A (plain).
This marked an improvement from 1,693 candidates (0.18 per cent) who achieved the top grade in the 2024 examination.
The number of candidates with direct university entry qualification of mean grade C+ and above was 270,715 (27.18%) in the year 2025 KCSE examination. This is an improvement compared to 246,391 (25.53%) in the 2024.
The number of candidates with grade C- (minus) and above was 507,131 (50.92%) in the year 2025 KCSE examination compared to 476,889 (49.41%) in 2024.
The number of candidates attaining a pass grade (grade D+ and above) was 634,082 (63.67%) in the year 2025 KCSE examination compared to 605,774 (62.76%) in 2024.
Ogamba noted that performance across subjects showed a mixed trend, with 17 subjects recording improved performance, while 11 subjects registered a decline, compared to the previous year.
Gender analysis of the results indicated varying strengths, with female candidates performing better in six language subjects, while male candidates outperformed females in 11 subjects.
The CS also highlighted demographic shifts among candidates, saying the number of candidates aged 16 years and below increased from about 20,000 in 2024 to 26,391 in 2025, with the highest proportion of candidates falling within the appropriate age bracket for sitting the examination.
On overall outcomes, Ogamba said 507,131 candidates scored C- and above, while 634,082 attained a pass grade of D+ and above, qualifying them for various post-secondary education and training pathways.
“These results reflect both areas of progress and those that require targeted intervention as we continue to strengthen teaching and learning outcomes across the country,” Ogamba said.
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