Kenya’s university admission framework may soon undergo a significant shift as the long-standing C+ minimum University entry requirement comes under review.
The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has revealed it’s weighing the possibility of ending the heavy reliance on this benchmark, as the country fully transitions into the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system.
KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer Agnes Wahome said the C+ grade benchmark was no longer practical and could eventually be phased out.
Her remarks come at a time when there are growing concerns over the high number of candidates who sat last year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams but did not attain the university entry grade.
During an interview on Spice FM, Wahome noted that Kenya’s education system had placed unequal value on examination scores and university admission figures, often ignoring other viable career pathways.
Many of the learners who do not qualify for university immediately, she said, find themselves in universities through certificate and diploma programmes, ultimately earning degrees.
“For a long time, success has been defined by whether a student gets a C+ and joins university. But as we transition to CBE, that conversation needs to slowly end,” Wahome said. “There are learners who start with certificates, move to diplomas, and later join university, yet their journeys are rarely acknowledged.”
Under the former 8-4-4 education system, the C+ grade was widely regarded as the ultimate measure of academic achievement.
The shift to CBE is expected to redirect focus toward skills, competencies, and practical abilities, rather than academic performance, with Wahome revealing that the gradual transition would take about two years.
Meanwhile, KUCCPS is expected to open its universities and colleges placement portal in March, to allow students to apply ahead of admissions in September.
The body assured that all last year’s KCSE candidates will be able to select courses that match their qualifications, regardless of their grades.
