9,846 pupils score more than 400 marks of the out of the possible 500, up from 5,943 last year.
The Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) has released results for 993,718 pupils who sat their final primary school tests that ended on November 2 in a record 19 days.
The issuance comes nearly a month earlier than previous years thanks to the use of new optical mark reader machines that fast-tracked the marking of the 2017 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examinations.
Announcing the results at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development in Nairobi on Tuesday, Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said no single exam malpractice was reported.
“This was made possible by better management of the exam, and pupils and teachers slowly coming to an understanding that we need a credible examination framework,” said Dr Matiang’i.
Further, Dr Matiang'i noted that there was improved performance with the top pupil scoring 455 marks out of the possible 500. Last year's top candidate scored 437.
The minister said the 9,846 pupils who scored more than 400 marks, up from 5,943 last year, will all join national schools - state-funded top tier secondary schools.
"If last year's top candidate was ranked, they would not even rank in the top 20," Dr Matiang'i said.
Candidates who scored less than 100 marks reduced by over 4,000, he said.
Some 2,360 pupils failed to manage 100 marks.
Knec chairman George Magoha said the results "are 99.99 per cent accurate due to the use of new scanners. There won't be any complaint".
Knec bought 20 new scanners at a cost of Ksh90 million (about $900,000) to replace a similar number of old devices purchased more than 17 years ago.
Form One selection
The government says it expects that there would be a 100 per cent transition to secondary schools.
Form One selection will start on December 4, the minister said, adding that admission letters would be accessible electronically once placement is done.
The exercise is expected have been completed by December 12.