The long-standing Grade C+ requirement for university admission may soon be removed as Kenya continues its transition to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has said.
Speaking on Tuesday, January 27, KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer Agnes Wahome said the current university entry grade is no longer sustainable under the new education system.
Her remarks came amid concerns after a large number of candidates who sat the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations failed to attain the minimum Grade C+ required for direct university entry.
Wahome said Kenya has placed too much emphasis on examination grades, especially the number of students who qualify for university, instead of focusing on skills and alternative learning pathways.
“This is a conversation that needs to start fading away as we fully move into CBC because we have overemphasised grades and university entry,” she said.
She explained that many learners who do not qualify for university immediately still go on to build successful careers by starting with certificate and diploma courses before later joining universities.
“Some learners start with certificates, move to diplomas, and eventually end up in university, but these stories are rarely highlighted,” Wahome noted.
According to the KUCCPS boss, the now-outgoing 8-4-4 system placed too much value on the Grade C+ benchmark, a focus that is expected to change as the country fully adopts Competency-Based Education (CBE).
Under the new system, Wahome said, greater emphasis will be placed on practical skills, talents, and hands-on learning rather than exam scores alone.
“We have overglorified Grade C+ and above. This will definitely change as Competency-Based Education takes root,” she said.
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