Top news items in Kenya's major media outlets

NAIROBI, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The following are the news highlights in Kenya's major media outlets on Friday.

-- More than half of the 600,000 students who sat last year's Form Four exit exams failed and can not proceed either to higher education or secure gainful employment.

Uproar has followed the poor performance with several leaders, including opposition chief Raila Odinga and teachers' unions officials, questioning why only 10 percent of students managed to get grades that can allow them to join universities.

At least 350,000 students obtained graded D and below, which puts them off from pursuing any professional course. (Daily Nation)

-- At least 86 cases of sexual and gender-based violence were either reported or documented in Nairobi in the run-up to this year's general election and after, a new report by the The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said. Some 62 percent of the cases were committed by the police. (The Standard)

-- Kenya has been declared Guinea worm-free by the World Health Organisation, but would wait until February when the organization would make the official announcement. The global body said it found no evidence of transmission in the last three years. (The star)

-- The movement of goods between Nairobi and Mombasa is set to ease in January once the standard gauge railway cargo train becomes fully operational. The government plans to move 40 percent of all cargo from Mombasa port on rail. (Business Daily) Enditem