Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has refuted claims that the government has altered the minimum university admission cut-off grade, reaffirming that the entry requirement remains unchanged.
In an official statement released on Thursday, CS Ogamba urged the public to disregard the misinformation circulating in various quarters. He confirmed that all 246,391 students who attained a minimum grade of C+ in the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination are eligible for university admission.
“The government has not changed the policy regarding the university admission cut-off point. It remains a C+ and above,” Ogamba emphasized.
The C+ threshold has been the standard minimum for admission to public universities since the Ministry of Education revised the policy from the previous requirement of a B- (58 points) for female students and a B (60 points) for male students.
KUCCPS Portal Set to Open for University Applications in March
The Education CS further announced that the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) portal for university applications will be opened in March to facilitate placements for the September 2025 intake.
“Since January 24, the KUCCPS portal has been active for applications to the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), Teacher Training Colleges, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions for the March and May 2025 intakes,” he stated.
University Funding Clarified
Addressing concerns over the financial implications of funding the 2024 university intake, Ogamba dismissed reports suggesting the government would require Ksh 100 billion annually. Instead, he clarified that the estimated cost stands at Ksh 25.8 billion per year, with the Ksh 100 billion projection covering a four-year period.
“The figure of Ksh 100 billion represents the total projected expenditure over the duration of the students’ university education, not an annual cost,” he explained.
Record KCSE Candidature
The 2024 KCSE examinations saw a total of 962,512 candidates sit for the national exams, marking an increase from 899,453 in 2023. Of these, 480,310 were male, while 482,202 were female.
CS Ogamba reassured that all candidates had opportunities to further their education in various institutions based on their career aspirations and performance.
With these clarifications, the Ministry of Education seeks to provide transparency on university admissions and funding while maintaining public confidence in the country’s higher education framework.