99,338 Students with C Plus in KCSE 2024 Exams May Miss University

99,338 Students with C Plus May Miss University

Thousands of students who took the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams and achieved the university entry grade may miss out on their desired courses as the government considers changing the cut-off point.

Reports suggest that the government would require at least Sh26 billion each year to accommodate the increasing number of students who scored C+ and above.

In the 2024 KCSE exams, 246,391 candidates met the university entry requirements, which is an increase of 45,258 compared to the 2023 cohort.

On Wednesday, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba acknowledged that the government might not be able to fund all qualifying candidates, leading to a review of available options.

Speaking to higher education stakeholders at the Lake Naivasha Resort during the Second Biennial Conference of the Universities Fund, Ogamba highlighted the urgent need for decisive actions regarding university admissions and funding.

He raised critical questions: “Can we afford to provide full loans and scholarships to all the 2024 KCSE university qualifiers, in addition to the continuing students? Should we determine the optimal number of qualifiers that the government can financially support, allowing the remaining students to seek alternative funding and loans for their studies?”

This situation means that thousands of students who achieved the university entry grade could be excluded, a reality that may crush their aspirations.

Among those affected are 1,693 candidates who received an A (Plain), an increase from 1,216 in 2023. Additionally, 7,743 candidates scored an A-, 19,150 received a B+, 43,120 achieved a B (Plain), 75,347 scored a B- (Minus), and 99,338 attained a C+ (Plus), which is the minimum required for university entry.

To further indicate that the decision to exclude some students is likely, Ogamba urged higher education stakeholders to develop alternative funding solutions for students.

“We are convening at a time when the country is poised to make crucial decisions regarding university admissions and funding, impacting the largest number of university qualifiers in our nation’s history,” Ogamba stated.

He added, “These are some of the questions I am presenting for this conference to explore.”

This news will also be disheartening for many parents who worked hard to support their children through secondary education and had high hopes for their futures.

The remarks at the meeting were delivered on Ogamba’s behalf by Higher Education PS Beatrice Inyangala. In her statement, Ogamba emphasized, “I can unequivocally say that the pressing issue at hand is how to adequately fund the 246,391 candidates from the 2024 KCSE Examination who qualified for university.”

He stated that to support students throughout the four-year program, the government would need approximately Sh100 billion to fund their entire education.

“The current situation raises significant concerns, especially considering the diminishing resources available to the government, and the fact that a large portion of our national budget is allocated to education,” Ogamba remarked.

For several months, the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has been unable to open the portal for students to choose their university courses.

Typically, the Cabinet Secretary for Education instructs KUCCPS to open the portal during the announcement of KCSE results. However, this year, no such directive was issued, leading to numerous questions.