NAIROBI, Kenya — Schools in the Mt Kenya and Western Kenya regions have once again dominated the crucial C+ and above threshold required for direct university admission, according to newly released data by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC).
The 2025 KNEC Essential Statistics report shows that counties in the two regions account for a disproportionately large share of candidates who attained the minimum university entry grade, despite representing a smaller fraction of the total number of candidates nationally.
Counties posting strong performances include Kiambu, Nyeri, Murang’a, Kirinyaga and parts of Nakuru in the Mt Kenya region, as well as Kakamega, Vihiga and Bungoma in Western Kenya.
Out of 993,226 candidates who sat the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination, 270,715 candidates — or 27.18 per cent — scored C+ and above, marking a modest improvement from 25.5 per cent in 2024.
Overall, 27.2 per cent of candidates attained the direct university entry grade.
Only 1,932 candidates, representing 0.19 per cent, achieved the top mean grade of A (plain).
National Schools Lead Top Grades
National schools produced the highest number of top scorers, accounting for 1,526 A grades, followed by extra-county schools (197) and private schools (185).
KNEC data shows that national schools generated 85 per cent of all A to C+ grades, while extra-county schools contributed 51 per cent within the same bracket.
In contrast, sub-county schools — which enroll the majority of candidates nationally — produced most of the D and below grades, underscoring persistent performance gaps within the education system.
The report further reveals that national and extra-county schools, which consistently outperform others, are heavily concentrated in Mt Kenya, Rift Valley and Western Kenya.
Lagging Regions Struggle
Meanwhile, counties in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) and parts of the Coast continue to lag behind in meeting the university entry threshold.
Counties such as Turkana, Garissa, Mandera, Wajir, Tana River and Kwale recorded significantly lower proportions of candidates attaining C+ and above, a trend attributed to over-age candidature, frequent school disruptions and chronic resource shortages.
Education Data Fuels Political Debate
The KCSE results come amid an intensifying national debate on regional inequality in education infrastructure, sparked by remarks from former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Gachagua recently argued that despite Mt Kenya hosting many top national and extra-county schools, students from the region are often admitted to less-resourced institutions elsewhere under the national placement system.
He suggested that schools such as Alliance High School and Mang’u High School, both located in Kiambu County, should prioritise learners from the region.
The comments triggered widespread public reaction, with President William Ruto accusing Gachagua of promoting tribal reasoning.
Supporters of Gachagua’s position maintain that sustained investment through National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) allocations has strengthened schools in Mt Kenya, arguing that local students should benefit first.
Critics, however, insist that national schools must remain merit-based and inclusive, serving top-performing students from across the country.
Persistent Inequality Highlighted
KNEC figures indicate that beyond national schools, extra-county and county schools in Mt Kenya and Western Kenya also outperformed their counterparts in many other regions, significantly boosting the pool of university-eligible candidates.
For example, Kiambu, Murang’a and Nyeri recorded both high candidature numbers and strong pass rates, while Kakamega and Vihiga produced substantial numbers of C+ and above candidates despite having fewer national schools.
While the data confirms Mt Kenya and Western Kenya’s dominance in university entry grades, it also highlights deep-rooted disparities that continue to shape educational outcomes across the country.
