KCSE 2013: More students fail to get C+ varsity entry grade

By Ally Jamah

Kenya: The number of students who scored the minimum university entry qualification of C+ in last year’s KCSE exam has dropped slightly, compared to the previous year.

Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi blamed the decline on disruptions like the teachers’ strike and the March 2013 polls. Figures released by the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) Monday, showed that 27 per cent of candidates obtained C plus and above.

This is compared to 28 per cent in 2012. This means that 123,365 candidates have the marks required to join university, out of the total 446,696 who sat the exams last year. However, the number of candidates who scored mean grade A increased from 1,975 (0.45 per cent) in 2012 to 2,722 (0.61 per cent) last year. 

“The drop in the number of those qualifying for university could be due to disruptions in learning caused by elections,” said Kaimenyi. 

He observed that despite the disruptions, the number of those who qualified did not decrease significantly. In 2013, 10,375 more students sat for the exams raising the number to 446,696 from 436,349 candidates the previous year.

Kaimenyi called on those who didn’t achieve the minimum university entry grade to join middle-level colleges.

“As we celebrate those who attained C+ and above, there exist many opportunities for them, besides university education,” he said.