CEO Agnes Wahome urges shift from grade obsession to career skills.

As thousands of students anxiously await their university placement results, the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has moved to clarify the criteria that will determine their fate. With cut-off points for competitive courses like Medicine and Computer Science reportedly rising, CEO Agnes Wahome has issued a rallying call for parents and students to look beyond the traditional "Grade C+" obsession and embrace the realities of the modern job market.

Speaking at a recent careers forum, Wahome hinted that the rigid C+ university entry requirement might soon be a thing of the past as the country transitions fully to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). "We have over-emphasised grades and used them as the main measure of success," she noted, arguing that this narrow focus has sidelined valuable alternative pathways in technical and vocational training.

The Competitive Reality

While the minimum entry grade remains C+ for now, the competition for top-tier slots is fiercer than ever. The 2024 cycle saw cut-offs for elite programs soar above 44 weighted cluster points, locking out many qualified candidates. This "inflation" of points is driving the push towards a more skills-based approach, where a student's practical competencies count as much as their academic scores.

• Beyond the Degree: Wahome encouraged students to consider diplomas and certificate courses, noting that these often lead to faster employment and can serve as a bridge to university later.
• Check the Portal: Students are urged to visit the KUCCPS portal to review available courses and ensure their choices align with their cluster points to avoid missing out.

A New Era of Education

The message from KUCCPS is clear: the definition of success is expanding. As the cut-off points for prestige courses rise, the value of technical skills is rising with them. For the Class of 2025, the challenge is not just to get into university, but to get into a career that actually exists.