Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ezekiel Machogu on Monday, January 8, 2024, released the results of the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
Speaking at Moi Girls High School in Eldoret, Machogu revealed that 899,453 candidates sat for the 2023 KCSE exams.
He added that Kenya achieved gender parity at the secondary education level, with 50.09% male and 49.91% female candidates sitting for the 2023 KCSE exams.
The Education CS announced that 1,216 candidates scored A plain with national schools producing the highest number of top achievers.
Machogu said national schools across the country produced 889 straight As.
The Education CS added that 201,133 candidates who sat for the 2023 KCSE attained a minimum university entry grade of C+.
He also stated that a total of 526,222 candidates scored a mean grade of D+ and above.
Machogu regretted that a large number of candidates 48,174 scored a mean grade of E.
“As Cabinet Secretary, I am also pained by the fact that a large number of candidates 48,174 or 5.33% still ended up scoring a mean grade of E in the year 2023 KCSE examination even after the Ministry used a more flexible system of computing the final overall candidate results,” he said.
Machogu further called for an investigation into poor performance in the 2023 KSCE exams.
“I therefore direct the directorate of quality assurance to work with field officers and teachers to investigate this, E grade cases in each county of the country and submit a report to me within one month for further action,” he said.
“As a country, we must start interrogating data and evidence to enable us to make critical decisions that would ensure we realize our return on investment from all resources that the government puts in the education sector,” Machogu added.
Machogu additionally called for an investigation into the poor performance in the 2023 KSCE exams.
“I, therefore, direct the directorate of quality assurance to work with field officers and teachers to investigate this, E grade cases in each county of the country and submit a report to me within one month for further action,” Machogu said.
“As a country, we must start interrogating data and evidence to enable us to make critical decisions that would ensure we realize our return on investment from all resources that the government puts in the education sector,” he added.