The number of special-needs candidates who sat the 2021 KCPE examination dropped slightly despite concerted efforts by the Ministry of Education to make the learning environment friendlier to them.

 From the results released yesterday, 2,483 special needs learners sat the exams, a drop from the 2,675 that did the 2020 tests.

Performance also marginally dropped with the top-performing candidate scoring 417 marks, slightly lower than the 420 marks in the previous exams.

 The leading candidate was Bethany Migosi of Thorn Grove Academy with 417 marks.

She was followed by Grace Katana of Havilah Academy with 407. Kamau Jackson (Muthiria Primary), Musyoka Kings (Kathonzweni AIC School) and Migosi Dominic (Mau Narok School) tied position three with 401 marks. Maina Llyeton and Otieno Barack were fourth (399), Mwachofi Elnora and Philip Karani, fifth (397) and Dorcas Cherono, sixth (396).

 “Number of candidates who sat the KCPE examination under special circumstances, including those who sat the examination in hospitals, decreased from 1,240 in  2020 to 1,067 in 2021,” said Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha when he released the results yesterday.

Performance was in tandem with the drop overall as the top candidate scored 428 lower than the 433 in the 2020 exams.

Slightly better

 At the same time, boys performed slightly better than their female counterparts in Kenyan Sign Language as was in Mathematics, Science and Social Studies and Religious Education.

The number of registered candidates who were under 12 also increased from 26, 378 in 2020 to 33, 627 in 2021.

Counties that had the highest number of the under 12 were Baringo (1,302), Bomet (1,932), Kericho (1,846), West Pokot (947) and Nyamira (1,111).

 Counties with the highest entry of candidates who were over 19  included Turkana (2,755), Garissa (1,484), Kilifi (3,304), Kwale (1,940) and Mandera (386).

Highest number of candidates 551,920 were in the appropriate age bracket of 13-14 years.