2023/2024 KCSE Grading System: List of Cluster Subjects
KCSE 2023/2024 Knec Grading Cluster Subjects: The release of a new list of cluster subjects to be considered during university placement caught most Kenyans unawares. Speaking in September, the CS Education Ezekiel Machogu announced that the number of mandatory subjects will now be cropped and downscaled from five to two. These encompass
- Mathematics
- One language (English/ Kiswahili/ Vernacular)
This move was aimed at serving a noble course, increasing the number of university qualifiers from the initial 140,107 (130,485 to public universities and 9,622 private universities).
This move, proposed by the Presidential Working Party for Education Reform, however, hit a snag after receiving a backlash from members of parliament. Following lengthy discussions in parliament, the new KCSE grading system was put off till further notice.
Now all eyes and ears are trained on the release of the KCSE 2023 results to see whether the new KCSE grading system will be implemented this year. Meanwhile, candidates are advised not to relegate the Sciences especially Chemistry since if the ministry reverts back to the former KCSE KNEC grading system, then their weighted cluster points will be determined using the procedure elaborated below:
The Knec Grade system is pegged on certain subjects and education level. Knec utilizes a 12-point grade system with an alphabetical letter ascribed to each value as shown below:
KNEC GRADING SYSTEM ARRANGED IN ASCENDING ORDER
E=1
D-=2
D=3
D+=4
C-=5
C=6
C+=7
B-=8
B=9
B+=10
A-=11
A=12
The most coveted and highly revered grades range from C+ to A.
Knec has also ascribed all the31 subjects specific unique codes as shown below
| S/N | Subject Name | Subject Code |
| Group I – Compulsory | ||
| 1 | English | 101 |
| 2 | Kiswahili | 102 |
| 3 | Mathematics – A | 121 |
| 4 | Mathematics, Alternative B | 122 |
| Group II | ||
| 5 | Biology | 231 |
| 6 | Physics | 232 |
| 7 | Chemistry- | 233 |
| 8 | Biology for the Blind | 236 |
| 9 | General Science | 237 (with 122) |
| Group III | ||
| 10 | History/Government | 311 |
| 11 | Geography | 312 |
| 12 | CRE – A | 313 |
| 13 | IRE Alternative B | 314 |
| 14 | HRE | 315 |
| Group IV | ||
| 15 | Home Science | 441 |
| 16 | Art and Design | 442 |
| 17 | Agriculture | 443 |
| 18 | Wood Work | 444 |
| 19 | Metal Work | 445 |
| 20 | Building Construction | 446 |
| 21 | Power Mechanics | 447 |
| 22 | Electricity | 448 |
| 23 | Drawing and Design | 449 |
| 24 | Aviation Technology | 450 |
| 25 | Computer Studies | 451 |
| Group V | ||
| 26 | French | 501 |
| 27 | German | 502 |
| 28 | Arabic | 503 |
| 29 | Sign Language | 504 |
| 30 | Music | 511 |
| 31 | Business Studies | 565 |
Mean Grade Award Descriptions
- Mean grade will be X, if a candidate is absent in all subjects
- Mean grade will be Y, if one or more subjects are canceled.
- Mean grade will be U, if the entry requirements for the KCSE examination are not met
- Mean grade will be CRNM, if the course requirements for the Teacher Education, Business, and Technical examinations are not met
- Mean grade will be P, if results are pended
- Mean grade will be W, if the examination results are withheld;
University matriculation is based on the best performance in particular subjects relevant to degree courses. Example below:
KNEC KCSE Subject Group Grade Points
| English | 1 | B+ | 10 |
| Kiswahili | 1 | A- | 11 |
| Mathematics | 1 | A | 12 |
| History & Government | 3 | B | 9 |
| Geography | 3 | A- | 11 |
| Physics | 2 | B+ | 10 |
| Chemistry | 2 | B- | 8 |
| Biology | 2 | A- | 11 |
KNEC KCSE Grading Scale Per Subject
It is important to note that each subject has its own grading system as shown below;
KCSE Grading Scale for English
| Points | 101; ENGLISH | |
| 12 | 80 – 100 | A |
| 11 | 75 – 79 | A- |
| 10 | 70 – 74 | B+ |
| 9 | 65- 69 | B |
| 8 | 60 – 64 | B- |
| 7 | 55 – 59 | C+ |
| 6 | 50 – 54 | C |
| 5 | 45 – 49 | C- |
| 4 | 40 – 44 | D+ |
| 3 | 35 -39 | D |
| 2 | 30 -34 | D- |
| 1 | 0 -29 | E |
KCSE Grading Scale for Kiswahili
| POINTS | 102; KISWAHILI | |
| 12 | 78 – 100 | A |
| 11 | 73 – 77 | A- |
| 10 | 68 – 72 | B+ |
| 9 | 63 – 67 | B |
| 8 | 58 – 62 | B- |
| 7 | 53 – 57 | C+ |
| 6 | 48 – 52 | C |
| 5 | 43 – 47 | C- |
| 4 | 38 – 42 | D+ |
| 3 | 33 – 37 | D |
| 2 | 28 – 32 | D- |
| 1 | 0 – 27 | E |
KCSE Grading Scale for Mathematics
| POINTS | 121; MATHEMATICS | |
| 12 | 70 – 100 | A |
| 11 | 65 – 69 | A- |
| 10 | 60 – 64 | B+ |
| 9 | 55 – 59 | B |
| 8 | 49 – 54 | B- |
| 7 | 43 – 48 | C+ |
| 6 | 37 – 42 | C |
| 5 | 31 – 36 | C- |
| 4 | 25 – 30 | D+ |
| 3 | 19 – 24 | D |
| 2 | 12 – 18 | D- |
| 1 | 0 -11 | E |
KCSE Grading Scale for Biology
| POINTS | 231; BIOLOGY | |
| 12 | 80 – 100 | A |
| 11 | 75 -79 | A- |
| 10 | 70 – 74 | B+ |
| 9 | 65- 69 | B |
| 8 | 60 – 64 | B- |
| 7 | 55 – 59 | C+ |
| 6 | 50 – 54 | C |
| 5 | 45 – 49 | C- |
| 4 | 40 – 44 | D+ |
| 3 | 35-39 | D |
| 2 | 30-34 | D- |
| 1 | 0 -29 | E |
KCSE Grading Scale for Physics
| POINTS | 232; PHYSICS | |
| 12 | 60 – 100 | A |
| 11 | 55 – 59 | A- |
| 10 | 50 – 54 | B+ |
| 9 | 45 – 49 | B |
| 8 | 40 – 44 | B- |
| 7 | 35 – 39 | C+ |
| 6 | 30 – 34 | C |
| 5 | 25 – 29 | C- |
| 4 | 20 – 24 | D+ |
| 3 | 15 – 19 | D |
| 2 | 10 – 14 | D- |
| 1 | 0 – 9 | E |
KCSE Grading Scale for Chemistry
| POINTS | 233; CHEMISTRY | |
| 12 | 65 – 100 | A |
| 11 | 60 – 64 | A- |
| 10 | 55 – 59 | B+ |
| 9 | 50 – 54 | B |
| 8 | 45 – 49 | B- |
| 7 | 40 – 44 | C+ |
| 6 | 35 – 39 | C |
| 5 | 30 – 34 | C- |
| 4 | 25 – 29 | D+ |
| 3 | 20 – 24 | D |
| 2 | 15 – 19 | D- |
| 1 | 0 – 14 | E |
KCSE Grading Scale for History & Government
| POINTS | 311- HISTORY | |
| 12 | 80 – 100 | A |
| 11 | 75 – 79 | A- |
| 10 | 70 – 74 | B+ |
| 9 | 65 – 69 | B |
| 8 | 60 – 64 | B- |
| 7 | 55 – 59 | C+ |
| 6 | 50 – 54 | C |
| 5 | 45 – 49 | C- |
| 4 | 40 – 44 | D+ |
| 3 | 35 – 39 | D |
| 2 | 30 – 34 | D- |
| 1 | 0 -29 | E |
KCSE Grading Scale for Geography
| POINTS | 312- GEOGRAPHY | |
| 12 | 66 – 100 | A |
| 11 | 61 – 65 | A- |
| 10 | 56 – 60 | B+ |
| 9 | 51 – 55 | B |
| 8 | 46 – 50 | B- |
| 7 | 41 – 45 | C+ |
| 6 | 36 – 40 | C |
| 5 | 31 – 35 | C- |
| 4 | 26 – 30 | D+ |
| 3 | 21 – 25 | D |
| 2 | 16 – 20 | D- |
| 1 | 0 – 15 | E |
KCSE Grading Scale for Christian Religious Education (CRE)
| POINTS | 313- CRE | |
| 12 | 90 – 100 | A |
| 11 | 85 – 89 | A- |
| 10 | 80 – 84 | B+ |
| 9 | 75 – 79 | B |
| 8 | 70 – 74 | B- |
| 7 | 65 – 69 | C+ |
| 6 | 60 – 64 | C |
| 5 | 55 – 59 | C- |
| 4 | 50 – 54 | D+ |
| 3 | 45 – 49 | D |
| 2 | 40 – 44 | D- |
| 1 | 0 – 39 | E |
KCSE Grading Scale for Agriculture
| POINTS | 443- AGRICULTURE | |
| 12 | 88 – 100 | A |
| 11 | 83 – 87 | A- |
| 10 | 78 – 82 | B+ |
| 9 | 73 – 77 | B |
| 8 | 68 – 72 | B- |
| 7 | 63 – 67 | C+ |
| 6 | 58 – 62 | C |
| 5 | 53 – 57 | C- |
| 4 | 48 – 52 | D+ |
| 3 | 43 – 47 | D |
| 2 | 38 – 42 | D- |
| 1 | 0 – 37 | E |
