The 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) top student Michael Warutere now says that he wants to join Mang'u High School for his secondary school education.
Speaking on Thursday, Warutere who scored 428 marks out of 500 said he did not expect to be the top student in the country.
"Imekuwa ajabu kubwa sana kujiona niko hapa. Naomba niende Mang'u kusoma masomo ya upili.
"Kwa kuwa wanapunguza alama nilikuwa natarajia kama mia nne na kumi lakini hii imenishangaza ndio maana namshukuru Mungu," he said on Citizen TV.
This translates to, "It has come as a big surprise seeing myself here. I pray that I join Mang'u for my high school education... I didn't expect this result because of moderation. I hoped to score at least 410 marks but this has surprised me and that is why I am grateful to God."
Warutere was a candidate at Riara Springs Academy. He wants to be a Software Engineer when he grows up.
His father, Samuel Muturi, thanked the teachers for their hard work in ensuring the candidates performed well.
He said it was a collective effort that has seen his son achieve such a fete.
"Warutere is a hard-working child and he had targets and we supported and guided him as parents," Muturi said.
Education CS Ezekiel Machogu on Thursday released the 2023 KCPE results.
He said only 8,523 candidates scored above 400 marks.
"400 to 500 mark the number was 8,523 candidates which translates to a percentage of 0.60," he said.
Those who scored between 300 to 399 marks were 352,782 which was a 24.29%
"200 to 299 marks, the candidates who were in that category were 658,278, which was 48.49%," Machogu said.
Those who scored between 100 to 199 marks were 383,025, while those who scored between 0 to 99 marks were 2,060 candidates.
This year's exams attracted 1,4o6,557 million candidates.
The 2023 cohort was the last to sit the KCPE exams as the ministry works on phasing out the 8-4-4 curriculum.