The Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) is a national examination administered to learners who have completed the four-year secondary education cycle in Kenya.
Each KCSE subject is assigned a unique Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) code used for identification, registration, and assessment.
Under the proposed KCSE grading structure, candidates will be assessed using a combination of compulsory and elective subjects.
KCSE Grading Structure
Two Compulsory Subjects
- Subject 1: English/Kiswahili or Sign Language
- Subject 2: Mathematics or Sign Language
Other Subjects
- Subject 3: Any 5 best-performed subjects
The final mean grade will be computed by combining the scores from the first compulsory subject, the second compulsory subject, and the five best-performed subjects, forming the overall KCSE result. (Mean Grade: Subject 1 + Subject 2 + Subject 3)
KCSE 2025 Grading System Per Subject
The council stated that Mathematics, one language subject, and five other best-performing subjects will be used by KNEC to calculate the 2025 KCSE candidates’ grades under the new grading system.
In summary, a candidate must register for a minimum of seven subjects, which must include the compulsory subjects specified by KNEC.
From Group I – All the three subjects of Code Numbers 101, 102 and either 121 (option “A”) or 122 (option “B”)
From Group II – At least two subjects of Code Numbers 231, 232, 233,236( Blind candidates) or 237 for option “B”
From Group III – At least one subject code of 311,312 or any one among 313/314/315Note: Only one of the Religious subjects 313, 314, 315, and one Mathematics option is to be taken.
One other subject selected from the remaining subjects in Group II, III and IV (Code Numbers 441, 442, 443, 444, 445, 446, 447, 448, 449, 450, and 451) or V (Code Numbers 501, 502, 503, 504, 511, and 565)
Again, you should undertake 8 or 9 subjects as opposed to 7. This gives you more grading options.
The grade you get is dependent on scores in your subjects. To get your mean score, the Council totals the points that you get per subject.
Also Read: EXPLAINED: How KCSE Exams Are Marked by KNEC
The highest grade you can get is an A(plain), which carries a point load of 12. Conversely, the lowest grade is an E (which has only 1 point).
Below is the KCSE points-to-grade scale used in results computation:
| Points | Grade |
| 12 | A (Plain) |
| 11 | A− (Minus) |
| 10 | B+ (Plus) |
| 9 | B (Plain) |
| 8 | B− (Minus) |
| 7 | C+ (Plus) |
| 6 | C (Plain) |
| 5 | C− (Minus) |
| 4 | D+ (Plus) |
| 3 | D (Plain) |
| 2 | D− (Minus) |
| 1 | E |
Candidates can sit for 9 subjects, and the extra 1 or 2 subjects can be selected from the remaining subjects of groups II, III, IV and V.
Mean Grade Award Descriptions
X: Awarded when a candidate is absent in all subjects
Y: Awarded where one or more subject results are cancelled
U: Issued when KCSE entry requirements are not met
CRNM: Issued when course requirements for Teacher Education, Business, or Technical examinations are not met
P: Indicates results are pending
W: Issued where examination results are withheld
KNEC KCSE Grading Scale Per Subject
Each KCSE subject is graded independently, based on subject-specific score ranges and point allocations outlined below.
Also Read: KNEC Clarifies Payment of 2025 KCSE Examiners’ Coordination Fees
English (101)
| Points | Marks | Grade |
| 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 |
Kiswahili (102)
| Points | Marks | Grade |
| 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 |
Mathematics (121)
| Points | Marks | Grade |
| 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 |
Biology (231)
| Points | Marks | Grade |
| 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 |
Physics (232)
| Points | Marks | Grade |
| 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 |
Chemistry (233)
| Points | Marks | Grade |
| 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 |
History and Government (311)
| Points | Marks | Grade |
| 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 |
Geography (312)
| Points | Marks | Grade |
| 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 |
Christian Religious Education (CRE) – 313
| Points | Marks | Grade |
| 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 |
Agriculture (443)
| Points | Marks | Grade |
| 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 |
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I sat for KCSE, and I strongly support reforms that will make the upgrading system credible, accessible, and beneficial to genuine candidates who wish to improve their performance.
Kindly share for the following as well;
“` BUSINESS STUDIES
METAL WORK
COMPUTER STUDIES
WOODWORK
BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION
ELECTRICITY AND TECHNOLOGY
HOME SCIENCE
FRENCH
MUSIC“`
What of business studies ? French?
It’s harder to score an A plain in Geography than in CRE
What about the other subjects?