Old guards stamp dominance as new entrants steal the show

Traditional giants have once again secured their place at the top of the 2025 KCSE results released Friday, even as a handful of little-known schools entered the national scene to disrupt the long-established order.

An independent analysis of the top 100 schools by The Standard indicates that national schools dominated the top 20 slots countrywide.

Only three private schools–Moi High School Kabarak, Nova Pioneer Tatu Boys High School, and Kisima Mixed–managed to squeeze into the list of the top 20 performing schools.

But the cream of the crop in the examination was Moi High School Kabarak, emerging top nationally after posting a mean score of 10.6.

The school presented a candidature of 406 candidates, producing 82 grade A (plain) scores, alongside 150 A–(minus) and 119 B+(plus) grades.

Chief Principal Elisheba Cheruiyot attributed the performance to discipline, commitment and teamwork among teachers and students.

“We never experienced any case of indiscipline in that class. It was a strong, committed team that was extremely focused,” Cheruiyot said.

Alliance High School maintained its elite status with a mean score of 10.47 and emerged second nationally.

The institutions also produced the highest number of candidates who posted Grade A(plain), with 128 candidates recording the top-most grade.

Similarly, some 141 candidates scored A–(minus) and 92 got B+(plus).

In the ranking, Maranda high emerged third with Nova Pioneer Tatu Boys High School ranked fourth.

At the same time, Alliance Girls which ranks fifth best nationally, emerged as the top female institution in the 2025 KCSE exams after posting a 10.1 mean score. The school produced 85 As, 179 A-(minus), while 149 candidates scored a B+(plus).

Alliance girls tied with Muran’ga High School with 88 A, 155 A-, and 133 B+. The school had a candidature of 522.

What is, however, notable are the little-known names that have shot to the limelight.

Tanyileel Girls High School emerged as one of the most remarkable underdog stories in the 2025 KCSE after posting a mean score of 9.34.

Despite a relatively small candidature, the school’s performance rivaled that of established national institutions, improving the mean score from the previous 8.24 in the 2024 KCSE exam.

A closer look at the results shows that the school has been on a steady rise to national limelight, having scooped a mean of 7.2 in the 2023 KCSE and 6.33 in 2022.

Ikuu Boys High School also broke into the national conversation after recording a mean score of 9.10. 

The school in 2024 had a mean of 8.5, thrusting the previously little-known school into the national spotlight.

In the top 10 rankings, Kapsabet High School, which has always dominated the top tables, posted a mean of 10.0 to emerge number seven.

Starehe Boys scored 9.975 to emerge eighth, with 34 A grades from its candidature. Despite remaining a top performer, the school registered a decline in performance compared to 2024 KCSE, where they scored a 10.11 mean.

Meru school scooped 9.974 to rank position nine, Kisima Mixed School, which scored 9.94 closses the top 10 best ranked schools in last year's KCSE results.

Notable schools with high scores include Maryhill Girls School with a mean of 9.90 and Kiage Tumaini boys with a mean of 9.851.

On the known names, Mangu High School scored 9.842 while Maseno School managed 9.833.

Others are Kipsigis girls (9.811) and Nyakongo Boys, Gesima (9.794), Asumbi girls (9.784).

Pangani Girls scooped a mean score of 9.718, result that mark a slight decline from the previous year, where they posted a mean of 9.841 in 2024. It however tied with Kitui school.

Pangani school principal, Millie Odhiambo,  expressed excitement and attributed the success to early syllabus coverage and an intensive regime of testing and revision.

“These girls are very disciplined. The teachers are very hardworking. And above all, this is a God-fearing school. These girls are so self-motivated that is the word. They have that self-esteem,” she said.

In Trans Nzioa, St Josephs Boys Kitale posted 9.77, Moi Girls Eldoret with 9.74 while St Francis Rangala posted a mean of 9.66.

However, there are notable drops in the 2025 results despite retaining their command as some of the top-performing institutions.

Kapsabet Boys’ High School also posted a slightly lower ranking in mean score after scoring 9.87 compared to a mean of 10.1 in the 2024 KCSE exams. The school presented 444 candidates, posting 49 A grades

Kapsabet School Chief Principal Kipchumba Maiyo however, said the school maintained consistent performance, with only a minor variation of about 0.1 points from last year’s mean grade of 10.1.

Mangu High School similarly dropped in performance from the 10.01 posted in the 2024 KCSE to the 9.811 in the 2025 exams, with a candidature of 462 students. The school produced 92 A grades.

Moi Girls’ Eldoret equally registered a dismal drop in performance, scoring 9.74 in the 2025 KCSE compared to 9.76 in the 2024 exams. The school produced 33 A grades in the released results.

Moi Girls’ School Principal Juliana Kirui credited the success to discipline and hard work among both teachers and students.

“Only ten out of a total KCSE candidature of 442 did not achieve the minimum university entry grade of C+. We achieved these results because of the commitment from our teachers and the Board of Management. The girls were disciplined and consistent; they knew what they wanted and worked hard to achieve it,” Kirui said.

Analysis of Light Academy Nairobi also shows that the institution registered a drop in its mean score after posting a mean score of 9.28 from the previous 10.00 in the 2024 KCSE.

Notable improvements in the top institutions included St Joseph’s Kitale scooping a mean of 9.777 in the just-released test compared to 9.014 in the 2024 exams

Maranda High School delivered a strong showing after posting a mean score of 10.2. The school fielded 566 candidates, producing 101 A grades, 184 A– and 124 B+ grades.The results crown Maranda as the torchbearer in the Nyanza region.

Maseno School also towered in the Nyanza region, posting a mean score of 9.73, with 698 candidates.

The institution also had the largest candidature among the top male schools nationally. The school produced 89 A grades.

Other schools in the Nyanza region that posted top results include Nyakongo Boys Gesima, which recorded a mean score of 9.23 from a candidature of 305 candidates, producing 4 A grades.

Kipsigis Girls High School posted a mean score of 9.56. From a candidature of 321 candidates, the school recorded 39 A grades, affirming its place among the top-performing girls’ schools nationally.

Kipsigis Girls Principal Margaret Kirui praised the candidates, noting that they had done the school proud and attributed the success to teamwork among students, teachers, parents and the school management.

Kirui also lauded the teaching staff for their dedication and unwavering support, noting that the results reflect years of structured academic programmes, mentorship and a culture of excellence at the school.

[Report by Caroline Chebet, Stephen Rutto, Julius Chepkwony, Eward Kosut, James Munyeki, Kiprono Kurgat, Nikko Tanui and Daniel Chege]