Implementation of an Alternative Entry Criteria

The Kenya Kwanza government promised to review the current exam-based system of academic progression, which has excluded millions of learners based on basic education level exit exams, by implementing alternative entry criteria.

The Kenya Kwanza government has reviewed the KCPE national examinations, with the last cohort to undertake the exam being the 2023 candidates.
The introduction of the Competency-based Curriculum (CBC) has also emphasized the need for continuous assessment over a high-stakes national exams, but implementation of a unified system is still ongoing.
May 2026: The Kenya National Qualifications Authority will be holding the 1st National Qualifications Conference 2026 aimed at strengthening the National Quality Assurance Framework.
KUCCPS’s official 2026 placement announcement states that the minimum requirement for degree programmes remains a KCSE mean grade of C+. It also states that applicants to TVET programmes can have KCSE grades from A to E. In other words, the government has expanded alternative post-secondary pathways, but the degree-entry threshold itself remains tied to KCSE.

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This Promise Tracker is an independent civic-accountability tool designed to monitor and document the progress of public commitments made by the Government of Kenya. Information presented on this platform is compiled from publicly available sources including government publications, parliamentary records, policy documents, and credible media reports. The classifications used in this tracker represent an evidence-based assessment by the platform’s researchers and should be understood as analytical judgments rather than official government determinations. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy and regular updates, the status of promises may evolve as new information becomes available. This website is not affiliated with or operated by the Government of Kenya.

Last updated: August 30, 2026 3:32 am