The Ministry of Education has reported persistent gender disparities in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidature, with female learners remaining significantly underrepresented in several northern and pastoralist counties.
According to the 2025 KCSE results released on Friday, girls accounted for less than 40 per cent of candidates who sat the examination in Wajir, Garissa and Mandera counties. The figures highlight ongoing challenges in access to and retention of girls in secondary education across parts of northern Kenya.
The data shows that female candidates made up 39.90 per cent of KCSE candidates in Wajir County, 33.76 per cent in Garissa and 34.91 per cent in Mandera. In Wajir, the imbalance translated to approximately two girls for every four boys sitting the national examination.
Other pastoralist counties also recorded relatively low female participation. Turkana County registered 42.33 per cent female candidates, Samburu 47.57 per cent, while Narok stood at 46.9 per cent. Overall, 10 counties recorded more male than female candidates, most of them located in northern and arid regions.
The trend contrasted sharply with results from other parts of the country, where female participation was higher. Kiambu County recorded 53.23 per cent female candidates, while Nairobi posted 52.9 per cent. In total, 14 counties reported more girls than boys sitting the KCSE examination.
Vihiga County led nationally, with girls accounting for 55 per cent of candidates, followed closely by Elgeyo Marakwet with a similar proportion, and Kisumu County at 52.87 per cent.
Interestingly, some hardship-designated counties performed relatively well in terms of female participation, indicating that targeted interventions can yield positive outcomes even in challenging environments.
Education officials said the data points to persistent regional inequalities in access to secondary education, particularly for girls in arid and semi-arid lands. They noted that despite progress in other regions, socio-cultural practices, poverty, early marriages and school retention challenges continue to hinder girls’ education in northern Kenya.
The Ministry of Education emphasized that sustained community engagement, economic empowerment, and strengthened school retention programmes are critical to improving girls’ participation and performance in national examinations in the affected counties.
By Hamdi Buthul
