•Of the 826,000 candidates who sat for the examination, 421,000 were males while 405,000 were females.
•1,138 candidates obtained an overall Grade A compared to 893 candidates in 2020
Image: MERCY MUMO
Boys performed better than girls in the just-released 2021 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results.
During the release of the results on Saturday at Milimani House, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha said that there was gender parity.
Of the 826,809 candidates who sat for the examination, 421,318 were males while 405,559 were females.
"Of the 826,807 candidates who sat the 2021 KCSE Examination, 421,318 were male while 405,489 were female, representing 50.96% and 49.04% of the total candidature, respectively," Magoha said.
Magoha said some 1,138 (0.14 per cent) candidates obtained an overall Grade A compared to 893 (0.12 per cent) candidates in 2020.
In terms of gender, some 789 boys scored A plain, 3,819 A-minus, 8264 B plus and 14,578 B plain.
On the other hand, 349 girls got straight As, 2,154 A minus, 5,199 B plus, 10,000 B plain and 1,792 got B minus.
30,817 scored C plus, 39,951 Cs, 48,193 C minus, 57,849 D plus, 72,007 Ds, 93,798 D minus and 26,578 E.
While 349 girls got straight As, 2,154 A minus, 5,199 B plus, 10,467 B plain, 17,891 B minus and 29,026 scored C plus, 41,394 Cs, 51,213 C minus, 58,506 D plus, 73,909 Ds, 93,466 D minus and 19,573 E.
As compared to the KCSE 2020 results, 589 boys scored A plain, 4,049 A minus, 8,815 B plus, 14, 932 B plain, 21,845 B minus and 30,924 scored C plus.
On the other hand, 304 girls got straight As, 2,371 A minus, 5,612 B plus, 10,275 B plain, 16,349 B minus and 27,075 had C plus.
Special needs
There were 2,095 KCSE students who sat for the examinations in 2021 with 1,134 being males and 961 females.
CS Magoha also announced that there were 223 (10.52 percent ) candidates who obtained an overall grade C+ and above in 2021 KCSE examination.
Only two males got straight As, 9 A minus, 22 B plus, 26 B plain, 41 B minus and 55 scored C plus, 70 Cs, 107 C minus, 129 D plus, 214 Ds, 330 D minus and 129 E.
No female scored an A, one had an A minus, five B plus and for B plain, 27 B minus and 31 scored C plus, 63 Cs, 64 C minus, 98 D plus, 227 Ds, 333 D minus and 108 E.
Magoha further pointed out that 18 counties had more females counties than males, giving central as an example.
“All counties in central have more females in class including Taita Taveta, Machakos, Kitui, Meru, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kakamega, VIhiga, Tharaka, Uasin Gishu, Laikipia,” he said.
During the 2020 KCSE results, the situation was the same with CS Magoha highlighting that 15 counties had more females enrolled than males.
"The counties, Taita Taveta, Kwale, Nyandarua, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Kiambu, Machakos, Embu, Kisumu, Kitui, Nandi, Meru, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kakamega, Vihiga," Magoha said
Counties with high gender disparity in favour of males in 2020 were Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Turkana and Homa Bay.