Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has revealed that Mombasa was the only county in Kenya to record perfect gender parity in the 2025 Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) entries.
Ogamba noted that 41 counties registered significantly more male candidates than female, with only Mombasa achieving a 50-50 per cent balance between boys and girls.
Speaking during the release of the national results, the CS termed the achievement a notable milestone in efforts to close gender gaps and ensure equitable access to junior secondary education.
“Mombasa stands out as the only county that achieved a gender parity of 50 per cent for both male and female learners,” Ogamba said.
This, as he called on counties with notable disparities to intensify community awareness and support programmes that keep both boys and girls in school.
The CS also provided a detailed breakdown of the age distribution of the 1,130,459 million learners who sat the 2025 KJSEA, offering insights into retention and progression under the competency-based curriculum.
According to the ministry’s data, 642,620 learners, representing 56.84%, were within the recommended age bracket of 14 to 15 years.
Ogamba said this indicated steady alignment between learners’ age and their level of study.
A total of 35,270 candidates (3.12 per cent) were aged 13 and below, while 415,059 learners (36.71 per cent) were between 16 and 17 years.
The assessment also registered 37,638 adult learners, aged 18 years and above, accounting for 3.33 per cent of the candidature.
Ogamba said the ministry remains committed to ensuring that all learners, regardless of gender, age or background, can access and benefit from quality education.
He added that the transition of learners to senior school pathways will be carried out fairly and transparently, guided by individual strengths and career aspirations.
“We will continue working with parents, teachers and communities to ensure every Kenyan child has an equal opportunity to progress,” the CS said.
Of the total candidates who sat the assessment, 578,630 were male and 551,829 female, representing 51.19 per cent and 48.81% respectively.
The CS noted that all the learners will now transition into appropriate senior school pathways, where their strengths and interests will guide the careers they ultimately pursue.
Ogamba at the same time said the government was pleased with the smooth conduct of the assessments, crediting field officers and school administrators for their swift response to emerging challenges.
“I am happy to report that all the learners who registered and presented themselves for the 2025 KJSEA and KILEA assessments successfully sat the assessments despite a few challenges that were appropriately addressed by our field personnel,” he said.
