The Following Students To Miss University, Here’s Why

Thousands of students who sat for the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams and met the minimum university entry grade could be at risk of missing out.

This is due to the government’s ongoing consideration of adjusting the cut-off points, which could potentially affect the number of students who are eligible for admission to universities across the country.

Recent reports suggest that the government would need a substantial budget allocation of at least Sh26 billion annually to accommodate the increasing number of students who have scored a grade of C+ and above.

This financial burden has raised concerns about the sustainability of the current university funding model, given the rising demand for higher education in Kenya.

The 2024 KCSE exams saw a significant increase in the number of candidates who attained the university entry grade. A total of 246,391 students achieved this milestone, marking an increase of 45,258 candidates compared to the 2023 cohort.

This surge in the number of qualified students has highlighted the challenges the government faces in financing their university education.

Read Also: Ksh 3.32 Billion Disbursed To University Students After Protests

On Wednesday, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba acknowledged the tough reality that the government may not be able to financially support all qualifying candidates. As a result, he signaled that the government is considering various options to address the situation, including a review of university admission policies and funding mechanisms.

Ogamba made these remarks while addressing higher education stakeholders at the Second Biennial Conference of the Universities Fund, held at the Lake Naivasha Resort. During his speech, the Education Cabinet Secretary stressed the urgency of making critical decisions regarding university admissions and the allocation of financial resources for students.

He posed some hard-hitting questions that are now at the forefront of national discussions: “Can we afford to provide full loans and scholarships to all the 2024 KCSE university qualifiers, in addition to the existing continuing students? Should we determine the optimal number of qualifiers that the government can afford to financially support, and allow the rest of the students to seek alternative funding and loans for their programs?”

These questions suggest that the government is grappling with how to balance the increasing demand for higher education with the limited financial resources available.

Among the 246,391 candidates who achieved the university entry grade, there are some impressive individual accomplishments. A total of 1,693 students scored an A (Plain), a significant increase from 1,216 students in the 2023 cohort.

This is a notable achievement, reflecting the growing academic excellence among Kenyan students. Additionally, 7,743 candidates attained an A-, while 19,150 students scored a B+, and 43,120 students achieved a B (Plain). A further 75,347 candidates scored a B- (Minus), and 99,338 students attained the minimum C+ (Plus), which is the threshold for university entry.

Read Also: Government Announces Recruitment of Public University Councils And Chairpersons