Boys outperform girls in the 2025 KCSE
By Aloys Michael, January 9, 2026Male candidates recorded stronger performances than female students in nearly all science subjects in the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, according to the Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba.
Addressing during the release of results on Friday, January 9, 2026, at Chebisaas Boys High School in Eldoret, Ogamba stated that female candidates outperformed their male counterparts in six subjects: English, Kiswahili, Kenyan Sign Language, Home Science, Christian Religious Education (CRE), and Art and Design.
While there was parity in some subjects, male candidates topped performance in 11 subjects: Mathematics (Alternatives A and B), Biology and Biology for the Blind, Chemistry, General Science, History and Government, Geography, Islamic Religious Education (IRE), Building Construction and Business Studies.
Performance was, however, comparable in Physics, Agriculture, Computer Studies, French, German, Arabic and Music.
Ogamba said the number of female candidates registered in five subjects, Metalwork, Power Mechanics, Electricity, Drawing and Design, and Aviation Technology, was too small to allow for a meaningful comparison of performance with male candidates.
Overall, 1,932 candidates, representing 0.19 per cent of the total 993,226 who sat the examination, attained an overall mean grade of A (plain).
This marked an improvement compared to 2024, when 1,693 candidates, or 0.18 per cent, achieved the same grade.
A total of 30,714 more candidates sat the 2025 KCSE examination compared to the 962,512 candidates in 2024, representing an increase of 3.19 per cent.
Schools analysis
Of the 993,226 candidates who sat the 2025 examination, 492,012 were male, and 501,214 were female, accounting for 49.54 per cent and 50.46 per cent of the total candidature, respectively.
“This is the second year in a row since the inception of the KCSE examination that female candidates have outnumbered male candidates,” Ogamba said.
Fourteen counties recorded a significantly higher number of female candidates than male candidates.
National schools led in top performance, producing 1,526 candidates with an overall mean grade of A, followed by Extra County schools with 197 and Private schools with 185.
In terms of direct university entry, Sub-County schools outperformed County schools, with 72,699 candidates achieving C+ and above, compared to 36,600 from County schools.
The Ministry of Education said 1,180 candidates were implicated in examination irregularities, with their results cancelled.