CS Ogamba calms university fee hike fears after releasing 2025 KCSE results
By Aloys Michael, January 9, 2026Amid growing anxiety over rising education costs, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has dismissed fears of a university fee hike, as over 270,000 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates who sat their exams in 2025 await placement.
Speaking on Friday, January 9, 2026, during the release of the 2025 KCSE results at AIC Chebisaas High School in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, Ogamba maintained the government’s commitment to affordable tertiary education.
“At the tertiary level, we are implementing the Student-Centred Funding Model, which provides students and trainees with scholarships and loans based on need,” he said.
He said that candidates whose results have been released are now expected to transition to universities or Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, with the minimum payable fees starting at Ksh 5,800 per semester, as per ministry guidelines.
Ogamba added that public university fees have been rationalised by 15 to 40 per cent, with semester costs now ranging from Ksh5,800 to Ksh75,000.
Warning to principals
Principals of public schools have also been warned against imposing extra fees or making unauthorised adjustments.
“We also continue to support our learners with capitation in fulfilment of the government’s obligation to provide free and compulsory basic education. For this school year, we released Ksh44.2 billion as capitation for learners in all public basic education institutions ahead of school opening,” Ogamba said.
He noted that this is the first time in over ten years that capitation funds have been disbursed before schools reopened and called on heads of institutions to ensure prudent use of the funds for the benefit of learners.
At the same time, he urged all eligible candidates to apply for placement in their chosen programmes once the process opens.
How placements work
The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) requires applicants seeking university placement to be Kenyan citizens. Non-citizens are currently ineligible for placement in universities in Kenya.
However, non-Kenyans can apply for the Diploma in Primary Teacher Education, the Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education, and programmes offered by the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC).
Applicants must have sat for the KCSE examination administered annually by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) and meet the minimum requirements for the level of course they wish to pursue.
KUCCPS guidelines specify that a candidate seeking a degree must have a minimum KCSE grade of C+, a diploma student must have at least a C-, and a certificate student must have a minimum grade of D+.
Placement applications are advertised by KUCCPS through print and electronic media, and students are required to log in to the KUCCPS Student Portal.
To access the portal, applicants must enter their KCSE index number, year of examination, and password. Students are advised to use their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) index number as their password.