Students at Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Secondary and Technical School in Mombasa are celebrating after the school topped the KCSE 2025 Coast results with 16 straight A’s and 35 A-minuses. The announcement came today, January 9, 2026, as Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba released the national outcomes at AIC Chebisaas High School in Eldoret.
For the school along Nyali Road, this marks a strong comeback, placing them among the top performers in the region after years of solid but second-place finishes.
The school had 213 candidates sit the exams last November. By midday, cheers filled the compound as teachers and parents hoisted top scorers like Mohamed Hassan Aziz and Abdulghafur Issa Timamy on their shoulders. Both boys earned A plains, part of the 16 who hit the highest grade.
Videos from the scene show kids dancing and hugging, with one girl saying it felt like a dream come true after months of late-night study sessions. The principal, Sheikh Rishad Rajab, wasn’t available for comment right away, but staff said the mean score hit around 9.13, enough to rank them 75th nationally and first in the Coast. That’s a B plain average, with 97 per cent of students qualifying for university.
Sheikh Khalifa isn’t new to success. Founded in 2000 with UAE support, it serves mostly local kids from Mombasa and nearby counties. It offers both academic and technical tracks, like engineering and IT, which helps in practical skills.
Last year, they were ranked in the top 20 nationally with a mean of 9.13 too, but this time they reclaimed the Coast crown after slipping behind schools like Light Academy in recent exams.
Parents credit the school’s discipline and extra classes. One mom told reporters her son scored an A-minus thanks to the free revision materials from the county.
Nationwide, KCSE 2025 saw 993,226 candidates, up from 962,512 the year before. That’s a 3.19 per cent increase. KNEC cancelled results for 1,180 students over cheating, mostly in maths and sciences.
Top schools like Kenya High led with a 10.467 mean, followed by Kapsabet Boys at 10.11. In the Coast, private schools outshone public ones again. Light Academy Mombasa had Hamid Ali with an A of 84 points, carried high by friends. Shimo la Tewa and Matuga Girls also posted strong numbers.
For Mombasa County, this boosts Governor Abdulswamad Nassir’s education push. He’s invested in bursaries and infrastructure, helping schools like Sheikh Khalifa.
Rajab noted in past interviews how county aid with books and labs made a difference. One student, Muhsin Safari, who got an A-minus and aims for electrical engineering, said the materials were key during prep.
But not all is perfect. Some parents in Mombasa complain about delays in capitation funds, forcing extra fees. Nationally, the Auditor General flagged underfunding in education.
Still, for these kids, today is about joy. Social media buzzes with posts from the school, like one from NTV showing the party. A tweet read, “Proud of our Coast giants!”
Looking ahead, these results mean big things. Most of the 51 top graders will head to universities via KUCCPS, starting applications in February. Others might pick TVET for hands-on jobs. In Mombasa, where tourism and ports drive the economy, strong education opens doors to engineering or business.
The school plans a full assembly tomorrow to honour everyone. Teachers say the secret was teamwork, from mock exams to parent meetings. One educator mentioned starting prep early, right after KCPE transitions.
This isn’t just a win for Sheikh Khalifa. It shows how focused effort pays off in Kenya’s tough exam system. As Ogamba said today, performance improved slightly overall, with more A’s than last year.
For families in Nyali or Old Town, it’s a local pride moment. Kids from humble homes made it big. One parent shared, “My daughter got an A-minus; we’re over the moon.”
As results roll out, check online at results.knec.ac.ke with your index number. No SMS this year for KCSE, so go digital. If issues pop up, schools can query within 30 days. Congrats to all at Sheikh Khalifa. Their hard work sets an example for next year’s Form Four.
