C+ Remains University Entry Cut-Off for KCSE 2024, Says CS Ogamba

After the Ministry of Education released the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination results, Kenyan universities are staring at an increased number of students this September.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba revealed that the ministry will be maintaining the cut-off mark for universities at C+, meaning the number of students joining universities will increase by 46,000. This represents a 3 per cent increase compared to the number of students who joined in 2023.

“This means that the universities are going to have more students because we are going to retain the C+ grade as the cutoff for admission to universities,” Ogamba stated on Friday.

With the qualifying grade being capped at C+, this means that the number of students who qualify to join public universities will rise from 200,000 in 2023 to 246,291 in 2024, leaving public universities to grapple with major challenges including funding and space.

The mean grade of C+ has been the standard cut-off point for joining public universities for years after the Ministry of Education dropped it from a mean grade of B- of 58 points for females and B of 60 points for males.

The clarification by CS Julius Ogamba comes barely three weeks after allegations that the Ministry was planning to raise the cut-off points to B-.

Describing the allegations as “false and misleading,” Ogamba urged Kenyans, particularly parents and students, to disregard the misinformation.

“We urge Kenyans to rely on official communication from the Ministry of Education and disregard sensationalised or fabricated reports,” the CS stated.

The 2024 KCSE candidates will form the third cohort of students lining up to pile pressure on the government under the controversial student-centered funding model.

Already, the two current cohorts under the funding model are heaping pressure on government coffers, which are facing untold trials.

Although the court termed the funding model unconstitutional, Ogamba has maintained that it will continue to be used, but with recommended amendments set up by the Ministry of Education.

“We are going to continue applying the student-based university funding model with amendments and changes that have been proposed through the various committees that we set up including the issues that were raised by the court, ” Ogamba assured.

The Ministry has also assured that the increase in the number of students joining universities this year should not be a worry, as the government is working to ensure public universities have the required funding to facilitate smooth learning.