CS Ogamba
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The Ministry of Education has refuted claims of an impending revision to the university admission cut-off point, ensuring that the existing standard of a mean grade of C+ remains in effect.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba addressed the public Thursday, emphasizing that the widely circulated reports are inaccurate and that all 246,391 students who achieved this grade in the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) are eligible to apply for university admission.
Ogamba clarifies the financial implications of this policy, stating that the projected annual cost to the government would be Sh25.8 billion if all qualifying students enroll.
While this equates to Sh100 billion over a four-year period, he dismisses earlier speculation suggesting the annual expenditure would reach that amount. The government’s confirmation of the admission threshold is intended to stabilize planning for students and institutions alike. The current C+ standard represents a shift from previous, higher benchmarks of B- (58 points) for females and B (60 points) for males, established to broaden access to higher education.
“The government has not changed the policy of the cut-off point for admission to the university. This cut-off point still remains C+ plus and above,” he said in a statement Thursday.
The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) portal, already open since January 24 for placements at KMTC, Teacher Training Colleges, and TVET institutions, will open in March for September university intake applications. The 2024 KCSE saw 962,512 candidates participate, an increase from 899,453 in 2023. The cohort comprises 480,310 males and 482,202 females, all of whom are now cleared to pursue higher education across various institutions.