By Rhoda Mutuku
Muslim candidates and Muslim dominated schools in Coast region extended their string of exemplary performance in this year’s Kenya certificate of secondary education (KCSE) results which were announced on Wednesday.
Light Academy in Mombasa raided a top slot in the country emerging second nationally with 69.1 points, after Singore Girls High in Elgeyo Marakwet which was ranked the best performing school in the country with a performance index of 69.9 points.
“Being close to teachers, working hard and praying hard to Allah gave me these results,” said Kassam Moosa, on of the top student at Light Academy who got an A- of 76 after Nurdin Kulo who also scored A- of 79 points.
Light Academy was followed by Alliance Girls School – 68.6 points, Kenya High School – 68.2 points and Loreto Girls School in Limuru with 68.1 points.
Besides Light academy, Memon High school and Shekh Khalifa bin Zayed were among the Muslim dominated schools which produced top students according to the results released by education cabinet secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i.
“I am so delighted that I will finally pursue my dream career of medicine, the discipline from teachers hard work and support from my was all that I needed to excel,” said Mohamed Mahmoud Issa of Memon High School in Mvita who scored an A- with 89 points.
Issa attributed his success to first, his strict adherence to Salat- Prayers, said five times a day considered the second of the Pillars of Islam and hardwork.
“I kept Allah first by praying… Salat reminds you about God throughout your day,” he said. “Hardwork was next but I know without prayers, that motivation to work hard cannot exist.”
Issa emerged 10 points ahead of Abdulbaasit Fahad Abdalla also from Memon who got A-of 79 points.
Memon high School which has been in high flying form produced 11 A- grades, Light Academy 6 A- While Shaikh Khalifa 8A- grades signifying an improvement from the 2016 KCSE results.
Other students who has exemplary performed are Maarya Elyas Bachani of Memon High School with A-,Tanzila Omar Jin a- and Khulud Mahmoud Nurani A- from the same school.
Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed of Mombasa also produced 10 A- out of 215 students who sat for the same exam in 2017 with Aida Faraj Topping the list with A-.
Others are Munira Ahmed A-,Sauda Habib A-,Harifa Abdulatifa A-,Mohamed Abduwahab A-,Ibrahim Boso A-,Mohamed Ahmed A- and Noor Sharif A- grade from the same school.
Addressing the media in the school compound after the results were announced, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Principal Suleiman Bwika attributed the student teacher relationship as was core to good performance.
The results have also shown a good performance in English, Kiswahili and Maths subjects where most of the first students got a mean grade of A- and above making the private schools better in academic performance.
In Taita Taveta County, Odhiambo Collins topped in Dr Aggrey Boys High School topped with an A- of 76 Points, followed by Hussein Abdurahman Akhule with an A- of 75 points becoming among the best public schools which performed exemplary well.
