KCSE 2019 Takes 13.7 Percent More Candidates To University

70 Kenyan universities must be all smiles after the release of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) 2019 results on 18^th December.

The just-released results showed remarkable improvement not only in several subjects but also on the overall mean grade.

This year, 699,745 form four candidates sat the national examination, and the good news for universities is that, unlike in the previous years where only less than 100,000 students qualified for university entry since the mean grade was lowered to C+, 125,746 2019 students will join universities.

According to 2019 KCSE results, the number of qualifiers for university slots has shot up by 13.7 percent, with 35,369 more students scored the required points for university entry.

This year, the number of student scoring A (Plain) was 627 compared to last year’s 315, as 5,796 KCSE 2019 candidates got A- (Minus) against last year’s 3,417.

Since the then Cabinet Secretary for Education Dr. Fred Matiang’i made it official that KCSE students who scored C+ and above will be eligible for university entry under government sponsorship, there has been a decline in the number of qualifiers.

The decline in numbers has caused universities to struggle in their efforts to fill up the institutions, which was not a problem initially as cut off points for university entry were higher, giving a chance to only those students who scored B+ (Plus) and above the chance.

READ: Here Is A List Of Top 10 KCSE 2019 Candidates

While releasing 2019 KCSE results, Cabinet Secretary for Education Prof. George Magoha went through an analysis that showed the performance of candidates before and after the then Education CS Dr. Fred Matiang’i brought about reforms to eradicate cheating.

Immediately after the overhaul by Dr. Matiang’i and Prof. Magoha who was then the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) Chairman, the number of students qualifying for university went down.

Prof. Magoha, however, noted that since the reforms, cases of exam cheating have significantly reduced and over the last few years after reform, university qualifiers numbers have been steadily improving.

“This (the analysis) is the reason why I tell Kenyans to believe in reforms. As you can see, the students are now settling and working hard in school under the leadership of their teachers, which is why the results are improving by year,” said CS Magoha.

CS Magoha advised the remaining 541,476 who have not qualified for straight university entry to join the more than 150 technical and vocational education and training (TVETs) institutions, noting that these institutions offer the very skills that are much needed in Kenya today.

Some candidates who did not manage to score C+ will join colleges and universities to pursue diploma courses.

READ: Students Who Scored Below 200 In KCPE Shine In KCSE 2019