The girl is ours! Western produces one of two top girls countrywide

Jacinta Khasungu put the Western region on the map after emerging one of two top girls countrywide in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination results announced by Education CS Ezekiel Machogu yesterday.

Khasungu, who was a learner at St Anne’s Mumias Girls Primary School in Kakamega County, scored 427 marks out of the possible 500 to emerge the best girl in the country as the 8-4-4 system came to an end.

The top candidate nationally was Michael Warutere of Riara Springs Academy in Nairobi who scored 428 marks. Khasungu shared the joint top girl position with Immaculate Waceke of Gilgil Hills Academy in Nakuru County.

There was anxiety earlier in the day when a technical glitch delayed relaying of the results, making it difficult for candidates, families and teachers to access their performance through mobile phone.

Bensel Okwemba of St Joseph’s School in Kakamega town scored 423 marks followed closely by Clifford Alusiola of Fesbeth Academy with 420 marks. From Booker Academy in Mumias, Lonnie Kwoba Oyondi scored 415 marks followed by Mjape Mitchell Kadzo (414), Opiyo Ryan Ndubi (414), Ojiete Shirley (414), Saka Bramwel (412), Ngele Grace Naliaka (408) and Simiyu Wayne Prince (408).

The headteacher, John Mark Wandera, said the school registered a total of 92 candidates and recorded a mean score of 380.84, with 25 candidates scoring above 400 marks.

Saviour Ndubi was the top candidate at Kakamega Primary School after scoring 416 marks, a lower performance compared to last year when Barack Lumbasi scored 420 marks at the same school.

Other top performers in the school included Praise Owano with 413 marks, Muhdhar Osman (412), Travis Bwire (410), Wisdom Blesing (410), Precious Wanjiru (410), Ngala Inganji (409), Maclawrence Masulia (408), Gideon Otsyula (408), Ephraim Baraka (407), Siney Jumba (407), Philip Ambenje (407) and Abigael Rebeccah who scored 404.

Also Read: There will be a smooth transition from 8-4-4 to CBC, says CS Machogu

Kakamega Hill School had over 80 pupils out of 188 scoring over 400 marks with the top pupil, Dickens Odhiambo, posting 413 marks.

Ms Seliphar Omulisia, the director of the school, said they were happy with their performance and promised to do equally well in the competency based curriculum (CBC).

“We are well prepared for the new education system with programmes and human resources in place. All our teachers have graduated to teach the CBC system,” she said, attributing the good performance to cooperation between the school and parents.

Fesbeth Academy’s director Ruth Minishi said the school’s performance dropped, claiming there was general standardisation across the country that affected performance in all the schools.

“The standardisation affected us and we managed to produce only 56 pupils scoring above 400 marks,” said Ms Minishi.

At St Teresa’s Isanjiro Primary School in Malava, the best pupil scored 410 marks. The school had 28 pupils with 400 and above marks and recorded a mean score of 357.98.

In Vihiga County, Serve Academy celebrated after all its candidates managed over 300 marks when the 2023 KCPE results were released. With a total of 50 candidates, the school posted a mean score of 370.

The top candidate was Elizabeth Edaya who scored 402 marks, followed by Lavender Chebet and Gail Kayla, both scoring 398 marks. The headteacher, Ms Jane Ligono, said teachers ensured early syllabus coverage and embarked on topical revision, testing policy and revision on areas of difficulty from the month of May.

“We narrowed down to individual difficulty, where a candidate was assigned to a particular teacher for coaching. All stakeholders, parents included, were involved in the process of preparing the candidates. Above all, we laid our trust in God,” said Ms Ligono.

Also Read: 2023 KCPE top candidate Michael Warutere wants to join Mang'u, become engineer

Elizabeth Edaya, 14, said she had expected to score 430 marks, adding that she longs to join Kenya High School and later become an accountant.

Gail Kayla is now looking forward to joining Pangani Girls High School and later becoming a paediatrician after her education.

Wekesa Mayer Tunai from Webuye ACK Primary School scored 412 marks to emerge among the top pupils in Bungoma County. The 14-year Tunai managed 84 marks in Kiswahili, 88 in mathematics, 72 in science, 88 in English and 80 in social studies and religious studies.

Bungoma DEB Primary School, the most populated primary school in Western region had its best candidate with 409. Lungwanyi Xavier was closely followed by Nyongesa Wamono with 408 marks and Opilo Brooks Gaitano (406).

The head teacher, Tobias Khisa, said the school has 4,800 learners in both pre-primary, primary and junior school, making learning difficult due to inadequate infrastructure.

Njenga Muchui Canon scored 403 marks, Wekesa Glory Shalom (403), Abdi Dawood Manzur (407), Odhiambo Otieno Eric (406), Ngira Israel (403), and Nafula Angel Daisy 400 marks.

In Busia county, Shawn David Odipo from Nambale Magnet School scored 417 marks to emerge the county’s top performer in the last KCPE exams.

He was followed by Keagan Okello (412), Hellen Rhoda (411), Cabral Ochieng (409), Joy Kegen (406), Moses Obama (403) and Tabitha Nekesa (401).

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