Over 270,000 candidates qualify to join universities

By Newsflash Reporter

Kenya has recorded an improvement in overall performance and university eligibility following the release of the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results, with more than a quarter of the candidates qualifying for direct entry into university.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba released the results on Friday, January 9, 2026, at AIC Chebisaas Boys Secondary School in Eldoret.

According to the results announced by CS Ogamba, a total of 270,715 candidates, representing 27.18 per cent of the 993,226 candidates who sat the examination, attained a mean grade of C+ and above, the minimum requirement for direct university admission.

This marked an increase from 246,391 candidates (25.53 per cent) who qualified for university entry in 2024.

Ogamba noted that the overall performance reflected steady gains under the reviewed grading system introduced in 2023, where a candidate’s final grade is determined using Mathematics, the best-performed language, and the best five subjects. The number of candidates attaining grade A (plain) also rose slightly to 1,932 compared to 1,693 the previous year.

He said the government remains committed to expanding access to higher education, citing ongoing reforms in university funding and a reduction of fees in public universities by between 15 and 40 per cent to enhance affordability.

Gender patterns across counties

The Cabinet Secretary highlighted notable gender patterns in candidature across counties. While female candidates continued to outnumber males nationally for the second consecutive year, ten counties recorded significantly higher male participation than female candidates.

These counties included Garissa, Mandera, Wajir, Turkana, Narok, Samburu, Mombasa, Homa Bay, Nyamira and West Pokot, with northeastern counties posting the widest gender gaps in favour of male candidates.

Conversely, fourteen counties recorded significantly higher female candidature than male. These were Vihiga, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kisumu, Kiambu, Kwale, Nairobi, Kakamega, Meru, Isiolo, Uasin Gishu, Machakos, Kitui, Busia and Tharaka Nithi.

Near parity in majority of counties

The remaining twenty-three counties achieved near gender parity, underscoring gradual progress toward balanced access to secondary education across much of the country. Among the counties in this category were Lamu, Marsabit, Embu, Tana River, Laikipia, Kisii, Baringo, Migori, Trans Nzoia, Nandi, Kajiado, Kericho, Nyeri, Nakuru, Bungoma and Makueni.

Ogamba attributed the gains to sustained government investment in education, including the recruitment of over 100,000 teachers since 2023, expansion of school infrastructure, and timely release of capitation funds.

He also reiterated the government’s commitment to examination integrity, noting that results for 1,180 candidates were cancelled due to confirmed irregularities.

The CS urged all eligible candidates to apply for placement once the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service opens the application process, adding that the transition from secondary to tertiary education remains a key pillar of the government’s education reforms.