Arnold Ageta
The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Julius Migosi Ogamba, has officially released the 2024 Kenya.
The announcement marked the beginning of a transformative era in Kenya’s secondary education system, as the nation transitions to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
“For the first time in more than 30 years, I stand here today to speak about a secondary school sub-sector, which henceforth faces a massive transformation arising from the phased implementation of the Competency-Based Education,” Ogamba said.
Transitioning to CBC
Ogamba highlighted that the 2024 KCSE cohort, totaling 962,512 candidates, is among the last groups to undertake the KCSE examination, which will be phased out by 2027.
“With the release of the 2024 KCSE results today, we have started a gradual phase-out of an examination that has been offered for 35 years,” he announced.
The absence of Form One classes in 2025, coupled with the transition of the first CBC cohort to Grade 10 in 2026, signifies a major restructuring of the senior school system.
The Ministry has already begun preparing schools for the CBC pioneers by constructing additional classrooms and distributing millions of textbooks.
Ogamba noted that 14,500 classrooms have been built for Grade 9 learners, with a target of 16,000 expected to be completed this month.
“The Government’s generous disbursement of Ksh. 11 billion, along with a further Ksh. 6.8 billion allocated through the NG-CDF, has made this possible,” he stated.
KCSE 2024: Key Statistics and Performance
The 2024 KCSE examination saw a 7.19% increase in candidature compared to 2022, with 480,310 male and 482,202 female candidates participating.
Notably, this is the first time female candidates have outnumbered their male counterparts in the history of KCSE.
Ogamba praised the improved performance under the new grading system, with 1,693 candidates achieving an overall grade A compared to 1,216 in 2023.
Additionally, 25.53% of candidates scored C+ and above, qualifying for direct university entry, up from 22.27% in 2023.
“These results affirm the effectiveness of the revised grading system, which emphasizes Mathematics, one language, and the best five performed subjects,” Ogamba explained.
However, he acknowledged challenges in specific subjects, with 10 recording a drop in performance, including English, Kiswahili, and CRE.
Female candidates outperformed their male peers in seven subjects, including English and Home Science, while male candidates excelled in 23 subjects, including Mathematics and Sciences.
Examination Integrity
The Cabinet Secretary emphasized the Government’s commitment to upholding the integrity of national examinations. New measures, such as personalizing and anonymizing question papers, were implemented to enhance objectivity and accountability.
Despite these efforts, 840 candidates were involved in examination irregularities, and their results were canceled.
Additionally, the results of 2,829 candidates are being withheld pending investigations. Ninety-one contracted professionals were implicated in aiding malpractices and will face disciplinary action.
“It is unfortunate that a few individuals continue to ruin the future of our learners through examination malpractices. We will take firm disciplinary action against them,” Ogamba warned.
Transition and Access to Results
Looking ahead, Ogamba announced that a mid-year KCSE examination series will be introduced starting July 2025 to cater to candidates who wish to resit exams or missed them due to unforeseen circumstances.
The Ministry is also transitioning to the use of Orbit Readers for visually impaired candidates, phasing out traditional Braille machines.
Candidates can access their results through the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) website.
“It is now my humble duty and privilege to declare the 2024 KCSE Examination results officially released. I wish all candidates success in their future endeavors,” Ogamba concluded.
