CUE Compliance & OpenEduCat
Commission for University Education, Kenya
The Commission for University Education regulates universities in Kenya. Its requirements include specific grading scales for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, a supplementary examination policy with grade capping, and the KAG East transcript format that employers and graduate schools across East Africa recognise. OpenEduCat's Kenya gradebook module implements all of this pre-configured.
Kenya Standard Grading Scale
Used for standard degree programmes. Pass mark: 40%. Health sciences use a 50% pass mark.
| Grade | Mark Band | GPA Points | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 70–100% | 4.0 | Excellent |
| B+ | 65–69% | 3.5 | Very Good |
| B | 60–64% | 3.0 | Good |
| C+ | 55–59% | 2.5 | Fairly Good |
| C | 50–54% | 2.0 | Average |
| D+ | 45–49% | 1.5 | Below Average |
| D | 40–44% | 1.0 | Poor |
| E | Below 40% | 0.0 | Fail |
Degree Classification, Kenya
CGPA compared directly to the 4.0 scale. No percentage conversion.
First Class Honours
Second Class Honours Upper
Second Class Honours Lower
Pass
How OpenEduCat Supports CUE Requirements
Kenya Standard 4-Point GPA Scale
The KE_STANDARD scale uses 8 grade bands from A (4.0) down to E (0.0 fail). The pass mark is 40%. Medical, nursing, and pharmacy programmes often use a higher pass mark of 50%, the KE_HEALTH scale accommodates this. Postgraduate programmes use KE_POSTGRAD with 50% pass mark. Each programme is linked to the appropriate scale at configuration time.
Supplementary Examination Policy
When a student fails a unit (score below 40%), they are entitled to one supplementary attempt. The supplementary grade is capped at the pass mark: a student who scores 72% on the supplementary receives 40% as their active grade (not 72%). The transcript shows both attempts. The original failed grade is annotated with "E" (excluded), and the supplementary result is annotated with an asterisk (*) to indicate it is a supplementary result. This capping is enforced automatically at grade publication.
Year-1 CGPA Exclusion
Some Kenyan universities (including Daystar University) run Year 1 as a bridging or foundation year whose grades do not count toward the final degree CGPA. The exclude_year1_from_cgpa flag on the course enables this. When set, all gradebooks from Year 1 are excluded from the CGPA accumulation. Year 1 grades still appear on the transcript and must be passed for progression, they just do not affect the final degree classification.
KAG East Transcript Format
The Kenya Association of Graduate (KAG East) transcript format is the standard expected by employers and graduate schools across East Africa. It presents 5 columns: Code, Title, CR HRS (credit hours), MARKS (percentage), and GRADE (letter). Subjects with supplementary results are flagged with asterisks. Per-semester breakdown shows semester GPA and cumulative GPA running total. The Statement of Results shows the student's current standing and honours classification.
CAT + Exam Assessment Split
Most Kenyan universities use a Continuous Assessment Test (CAT) plus final examination structure. The KE_STANDARD template splits each unit into CAT (30%) and Exam (70%). This template ships pre-configured. Units with different splits (some practicals or project units have different weights) can use custom templates at the unit level.
Health Sciences Scale (50% Pass)
Medical, nursing, and pharmacy programmes at Kenyan universities often require a higher pass mark than standard programmes. The KE_HEALTH scale uses the same 8 grade bands but shifts the pass threshold to 50% (grade C). This scale is available alongside KE_STANDARD so a university can run both simultaneously for different faculties.
Kenyan University Reports
KAG East Transcript
Standard 5-column transcript format: Code, Title, CR HRS, Marks, Grade. Supplementary results annotated with asterisk. Semester GPA and cumulative CGPA running total.
Statement of Results
Single-page standing statement showing student details, course, current academic standing, cumulative GPA, and honours classification. Used for bank letters, employment verification, and graduate school applications.
Supplementary Exam Register
List of students eligible for supplementary exams, the units they failed, original scores, and whether supplementary is their first attempt. Used by examination departments for supplementary exam scheduling.
CGPA Standing Report
Department-wise CGPA distribution across the graduating cohort. Shows breakdown by First Class, Second Upper, Second Lower, and Pass categories.
Full Kenya Gradebook Documentation
Complete Kenya grading scale details, supplementary exam policy configuration, KAG East transcript format, and CGPA exclusion options.
Kenya Gradebook Details →Frequently Asked Questions, CUE & OpenEduCat
Questions from Kenyan university registrars and examination officers.
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