As the close to 699,745 candidates who sat their KCSE examination in 2019 wait with bated breath for the outcome of the test, set to be announced Wednesday, Kenyans are also waiting with a significant level of anxiety to see how the top students during the classes’ 2015 KCPE exam fair this time around.
The candidates sat their standard eight exams under the stringent tenure of Fred Matiangi in the Education docket, and according to popular opinion, the top 2015 pupils ought to shine today as well.
This is, however, easier said than done, due to a variety of changing dynamics in the pupils’ lives over the four years they were in high schools, such as the learning environment, adolescence, and social factors.
One Bugei Nyaosi still remains an academic legend, after he emerged position 2 in the 2008 KCSE exam, four years after emerging the top student in the 2004 KCPE.
Aggrey Akhanyinya topped the 2015 KCPE test, scoring 449 marks. He sat the test in Kakamega County and achieved the highest score recorded over the eight years dating back to 2008.
Wilson Muragu who sat the examination at Nairobi’s Ruaraka Academy cinched position two, scoring 446 marks, a position he shared with one Timby Marren.
Felistus Osembe emerged the top female candidate and third-best overall after scoring 445 points in the test, which she sat at Gilgil Hills Academy.
Evans Musyoki Sila, of Premese Academy, Machakos followed closely with 443 marks.
The 2015 KCSE students sat the exam under the even more stringent watch of Education CS George Magoha.
Magoha is expected to release the results of this year’s test shortly after briefing President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House.
Concern has been raised over the credibility of the 2019 O-levels results, granted the short duration it took to grade the hundreds of thousands of candidates, a period marred by go-slows by teachers who wanted increased payment for marking the papers, as well as improvement of working conditions at the marking centres.
The marking of the exam was wrapped on Dec. 12.