Concerns Raised Over Low Scores In KCSE As Machogu Gives Results

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu revealed today the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results for 2023. Highlighting achievements and challenges, his announcement focused on several key points:

Positive achievements:

• Gender parity: 50.09% male and 49.91% female candidates, signifying a milestone in equal access to secondary education.
• High achievers: 1,216 candidates scored A plain, with national schools contributing 889 top scores.
• University entry qualifications: 201,133 candidates attained a minimum C+ for university entry.
• Overall performance: 526,222 candidates scored a mean grade of D+ and above.

Areas of concern:

• Low scores: 48,174 candidates (5.33%) scored a mean grade of E, prompting concern and further investigation.
• Call for investigation: Machogu ordered a nationwide investigation into low score clusters to understand the root causes.

“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.