99,338 Students with C+ May Miss University Admission
Thousands of students who attained the university entry grade in the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations may miss out on their desired courses as the government deliberates on adjusting the cut-off point.
Reports suggest that accommodating all students who scored C+ and above would require at least Sh26 billion annually, a financial burden that may be unsustainable.
In the 2024 KCSE exams, 246,391 candidates qualified for university, marking an increase of 45,258 compared to the 2023 cohort. However, the government is reconsidering its financial capacity to support all these students, potentially leaving many without higher education opportunities.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, addressing higher education stakeholders at the Second Biennial Conference of the Universities Fund at Lake Naivasha Resort, acknowledged the difficulty of financing all qualifying candidates.
He raised critical questions about whether the government could afford to provide full loans and scholarships to all university qualifiers in addition to continuing students. He also urged consideration of an optimal number of students the government could support while allowing others to seek alternative funding.
The implications of this review could be severe, as thousands of students who achieved the university entry grade may face exclusion, crushing their aspirations. Among the qualified candidates are 1,693 who scored an A (Plain), an increase from 1,216 in 2023.
Additionally, 7,743 obtained an A-, 19,150 scored a B+, 43,120 attained a B (Plain), 75,347 received a B- (Minus), and 99,338 reached the minimum university entry grade of C+.
Call for Alternative Funding Solutions
In a further indication that the decision to limit admissions is nearly finalized, Ogamba urged higher education stakeholders to explore alternative student funding solutions.
He emphasized that the country faces a historic moment in university admissions, requiring difficult decisions on financing the highest number of qualifiers ever recorded.
The situation also presents a major concern for parents who sacrificed to support their children’s secondary education with the hope of seeing them join university.
Ogamba’s statement, delivered on his behalf by Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala, highlighted the main challenge: finding adequate funds for the 246,391 students who qualified.
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To sustain these students through a four-year course, the government would need approximately Sh100 billion. Ogamba noted that this financial demand raises serious concerns, particularly given the government’s limited resources and the significant portion of the national budget already allocated to education.
For months, the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has been unable to open its portal for students to select their university courses.
Traditionally, the Education Cabinet Secretary instructs KUCCPS to activate the portal after releasing KCSE results. However, no such directive has been given this year, leading to uncertainty and speculation regarding the fate of university admissions.
99,338 Students with C+ May Miss University Admission
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