Currently, KCSE results are determined by a 12-point grade system. This grade will also determine the kind of skills and knowledge that a candidate can comfortably acquire.

Here is a complete breakdown of the current KCSE grading system.

KNEC recently released the KCSE grading system they will use for the 2021 national examinations. The system is based on a numeric 12-point scale from 1-12 and an expanded letter grade ranging from A to E (A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, E).

The expanded letter grade means C+ is the ‘pass’ mark that allows students to join a public university through government sponsorship. It is a grade most students can aim for when sitting for their exams. Many TVET colleges absorb grades C to E nowadays. A is the best grade a student can strive to get. It takes a mixture of grades A- to B- for a student to enroll in a good university.

The KCSE grading system attempts to measure the breadth or depth of learning in Kenyan schools. It also measures competence levels and quality of performance in students. In previous years, KNEC used the grading system as a standard measure of comparing students.

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But this has changed since the Education Department uses it as a tool to assess learning. Students can use the system to reveal their next learning steps. For example, students who score B+ in Biology, Mathematics, and English can choose to learn medicine in university.

Although a student may sit for the national examinations, KNEC may not award the student a mean grade for several reasons. This can happen if a student does not meet the set requirements for getting a certificate

In this case, a candidate will have a grade of:

U – it indicates a candidate has not met the criteria for a certificate award
W – it indicates KNEC has withheld a candidate’s results for various reasons
X – it indicates a candidate was absent during the exams
Y – it indicates KNEC has canceled a candidate’s results because of irregularities
Z – it indicates a candidate has not met the registration requirements

How the KNEC grading system works

KNEC grades candidates who sit for 7 or more KCSE subjects during the national examinations. The examinations body puts all subjects into five groups. These groups include:

Group I – These are compulsory subjects all students must sit for during exams. They include English (101), Kiswahili (102), and Mathematics (121).
Group II – The group consists of four science subjects. However, a student must sit for at least two subjects during the exams. They include Biology (231), Physics (232), Chemistry (233), and General Science (237).
Group III – The group consists of five humanities subjects. A student must sit for at least one subject during the exams. They include History and Government (311), Geography (312), Christian Religious Education (313), Islamic Religious Education (314), and Hindu Religious Education (315).
Group IV – There are eleven subjects in this group. The subjects include: Home Science (411), Art and Design (442), Agriculture (443), Woodwork (444), Metalwork (445), Building Construction (446), Power Mechanics (447), Electricity (448), Drawing and Design (449), Aviation Technology (450), and Computer Studies (451).
Group V – The groups consists of subjects from languages and business studies. They include French (501), German (502), Arabic (503), Kenya Sign Language (504), Music (511), and Business Studies (565).

A student can choose the seventh subject from Group II or Groups III, IV or V. To get a mean grade based on the KCSE grading system 2021, KNEC averages a student’s score in all the seven (7) subjects.

The table below shows grades and marks and their corresponding points based on the current KCSE grading system.

kcse grading system 2022

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Here is a complete breakdown of the current KCSE grading system KCSE grading system 2021