The results of the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam, released on Thursday by Education Cabinet Secretary Mr. Migosi Ogamba, show that boys outperformed girls in key subjects, continuing a trend seen in previous years despite a steady reduction in the gender gap in education access.
In total, 965,512 candidates sat for the 2024 exams, a slight increase from 899,453 candidates in 2023. The results show that boys had higher mean scores in 23 out of the 30 subjects tested, with significant improvements recorded in subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, history and government, and agricultural sciences.
Gender Performance in Key Subjects:
- Girls excelled in languages, topping subjects like English, Kiswahili, Kenya Sign Language, French, home science, CRE, and art and design.
- Boys outshone girls in numeracy, sciences, and technical subjects, achieving better results in subjects including mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, woodwork, metal work, aviation technology, and computer studies.
Notably, the majority of subjects where boys performed better showed improvements in scores, while those where girls excelled saw declines. A total of 17 subjects recorded improved results, including mathematics, physics, history and government, and business studies. Conversely, 10 subjects, including English, Kiswahili, and CRE, saw a drop in performance.
Key Results Highlights:
- A total of 1,693 students scored grade A, marking a slight increase from 1,216 in 2023.
- The number of students qualifying for public universities in 2024 increased significantly, with 246,391 students scoring the minimum C+ grade, compared to 201,133 in 2023.
- Nearly half of the candidates, 476,889, scored C- and above, thus qualifying for diploma programs at technical and vocational education centers. This represents a notable increase from 44.42% of candidates in 2023.
- The majority, 62.76% (605,774 candidates), scored D+ and below, compared to 58.27% in 2023.
The gender composition of the candidates was nearly equal, with 482,202 girls (50.1%) and 480,310 boys (49.9%). The exam was administered across 10,754 centers, with 30,370 examiners working in 40 marking centers.
Cheating and Irregularities: Despite stringent measures to prevent cheating, 840 candidates had their results canceled for examination malpractice. Additionally, the results of 2,829 candidates suspected of involvement in irregularities have been withheld pending investigations. The Ministry has also promised disciplinary action against teachers who facilitated cheating.
Regional Gender Trends: The gender distribution varied across counties, with some counties showing a higher proportion of male candidates and others a higher proportion of female candidates. For example, counties like Garissa, Mandera, and Wajir had more male candidates, while regions such as Vihiga, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Meru saw a greater number of female candidates.
The Education Ministry remains committed to ensuring fair and equitable access to education for all students, regardless of gender, and is actively working towards further narrowing the gender gap in academic performance.
byronian4@gmail.com
@byron
About the Author
