A Naivasha prisoner scored 350 marks in last year's KCPE exams. Ewoi James Loitiang,33, is serving 20 years for defilement.

"I want to be a better and educated person so that when I leave prison I can positively change the lives of my people in Lodwar," he said.

Some 10 out of 46 inmates who sat the exams scored more than 300 marks. Their mean score is 262. The officer in-charge of the prison Patrick Mwenda commended the inmates performance despite various challenges.

"The inmates rely on their colleagues when studying and they have proven that despite all the challenges they can deliver," he said. Last year's top student in the prison scored 376 marks. The authorities termed the drop as a minor hiccup.