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Academic giants and private schools in Kiambu county dominated the list of top performers from the region in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination results released last week.

Juja Preparatory and Senior schools, Westridge School and Stepping Stones Preparatory and Bloomington School, which have over the years exhibited their might in academic performance produced top performers in the county.

Sarah Ochieng, a candidate from Bloomington School emerged one of the top candidates in the vast county followed by Agnes Wanjiku from Stepping Stones who managed 414 marks.

In the last KCPE results, Juja Preparatory emerged among the best schools with a mean grade of 367.9 with over 40 of its candidates managing over 300 marks in the results announced by Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu.

Juja Preparatory head teacher Francis Njenga who spoke to journalists at the school described the stellar performance as well-deserved attributing it to passionate teachers, discipline among learners and remarkable collaborations between the institution and the parents.

Hard work pays

“We worked hard to attain the marks we are celebrating today and surely, hard work pays. The commitment of our candidates has paid off and as a school we are very proud of the marks we have posted. We will endeavour to do even better in the CBC system to produce the best for both Kenya and the world,” said Njenga.

Among the best performing candidates at the school were Natalie Watiri who garnered 403 marks, Mark Muguna who scored 397 marks, Teihilla Wanjiru who managed 393 marks and Esther Muthoni who took home 392 marks.

In the neighbouring Gatanga Constituency, Westridge School topped the Sub-County with a mean score of 381.44.

With 30 candidates, Kuta Amboko, the school head told journalists that sheer hard work and determination informed the stellar performance.

“We worked very hard to ensure that we registered good results in the last KCPE exams. The commitment of our teachers, the sacrifices of both parents and the candidates made us to harvest good results,” said Amboko.

At Stepping Stones Preparatory, ten candidates managed 400 marks and above with Anthony Mwendwa leading the pack with 412 marks alongside Byron Guantai who got similar marks.

Mellisa Nyakio, Lisa Muhonja, Winfred Wavinya, Ainsley Natasha, William Mwangi, Winnie Wanjiku, Alicia Njeri and Patience Wanja scored 410, 406, 403, 403, 402, 401, 400 and 400 marks respectively.

Despite the impressive performance, school heads from the private institutions decried the unfairness in the form one selection process, an exercise that has been scheduled to begin this week.