State mulls raising university cut-off points over funding shortages
In the 2024 KCSE exams, 246,391 candidates attained the minimum university entry grade of C+, an increase of 45,258 from the previous year.
Thousands of students who qualified for university after last year's Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams may be unable to pursue their preferred courses as the government considers raising the cut-off point due to budgetary limitations.
Reports indicate that the government would require at least Sh26 billion annually to support the rising number of students qualifying for university.
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In the 2024 KCSE exams, 246,391 candidates attained the minimum university entry grade of C+, an increase of 45,258 from the previous year.
On Wednesday, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba admitted that the government might not be able to finance all qualifying students, prompting discussions on possible alternatives.
Speaking at the Second Biennial Conference of the Universities Fund at Lake Naivasha Resort, Ogamba emphasised the urgency of addressing university admissions and funding.
"So, a few poignant questions arise: Can we afford to provide full loans and scholarships to all the 2024 KCSE university qualifiers, over and above 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 programmes?" Ogamba posed.
His remarks suggest that thousands of students who met the university entry grade may be excluded from government funding, a move that could dash their hopes.
Among those affected are 1,693 candidates who scored an A (Plain), up from 1,216 in 2023. Additionally, 7,743 candidates scored an A-, 19,150 attained a B+, 43,120 scored a B (Plain), 75,347 received a B- (Minus), and 99,338 secured a C+ (Plus).
To further indicate that limiting government-sponsored slots is under consideration, Ogamba urged higher education stakeholders to explore alternative funding options.
"We are meeting here when the country is set to make critical decisions on university admissions and funding, affecting the highest ever number of qualifiers for university admissions in the history of our country," he said.
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