On Thursday, February 23, the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) clarified the minimal grades for admission into degree, diploma, and certificate courses.
KUCCPS stated in a statement that the minimal entry grade for degree courses was C+ or above for students who took the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in 2022. (KCSE).
Parents and candidates were notified by KUCCPS that the minimum admission grade for diploma courses was C- (minus).
The placement body stated that the minimal entry grade for craft courses was D (plain), whereas the minimum entry grade for artisan courses was E.
After online concerns over raising the minimum entry grade for degree, diploma, and artisan courses, KUCCPS was forced to respond.
The placement committee denied allegations that C+, C-, and D (plain) were the new entry grades for obtaining a craft certificate and D- for artisan certifications.
“Please be advised that this communication was not provided by KUCCPS,” the organization responded to a social media user who expressed concern.
At the same time, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu indicated that the placement exercise was about to begin.
He also asked the education stakeholders to come up with new ways to ensure a smooth transition.
“Placement of university students is supposed to start anytime from now. I am waiting for you to come up with proposals particularly on financing and the other terms of reference as given by President William Ruto,” Machogu stated during the opening ceremony of the 1st Biennial Kenya Universities Funding Conference 2023.
From data from the Ministry of Education, an additional 27,569 candidates scored C+ and above in 2022 KCSE exams bringing the total to 173,345, compared to 145,776 recorded in 2021.
The number of candidates who scored grade A- and above stood at 7,553 compared to 7,313 recorded in the 2021 KCSE.
Education experts noted that the increase would spark a scramble for courses in various universities, including medicine, engineering, architecture, economics and information technology.
University were also projected to record a slight increase in admissions amidst financial and debt struggles.
Noted
Why do you always ignore the D+ category every time and yet it is a grade on its own.I have never heard or read from any source that the minimum requirement is a D+ for a certain course.What is normally wrong with the placement of this grade?
Government should be highly concerned with funding students who are joining universities as it was earlier..