NYS Reduces KCSE Grade Requirement From D to D- (Minus) for Wider Recruitment
The National Youth Service (NYS) has decided to reduce the minimum Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) mean grade from the current D plain to D – (minus) in an effort to include a larger number of Kenyans in future recruitments.
NYS Director General James Tembur emphasized that this adjustment aims to create a level playing field for all youths, irrespective of their backgrounds. Speaking before the National Assembly Committee on Cohesion and Equal Opportunities, Tembur assured that this change would be implemented in the upcoming recruitment cycle.
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During the session led by Aden Yusuf Haji, the Committee heard Tembur explain, “The Ministry has lowered the mean grade to enable youths from disadvantaged communities to have an opportunity to join NYS.” The lawmakers praised this move but urged the Director General to ensure fair distribution of slots across the country.
Nyeri Town MP Duncan Mathenge drew attention to NYS’s increased visibility after President William Ruto’s directive that Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) personnel would be recruited from the organization. Mathenge emphasized the importance of transparency and equal distribution of slots during recruitment in light of the heightened interest.
While expressing their concerns about potential exclusions due to requirements, such as the KCSE mean grade, MPs highlighted additional criteria, including Kenyan citizenship by birth, age between 18-24 years, physical fitness, and evidence of a certificate of good conduct issued by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
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Nakuru County MP Liza Chelule, who chaired the session, commended NYS for considering people with disabilities in its latest recruitment.
She remarked, “You have done well in inclusion of people living with disabilities than most of the State institutions that appear before this Committee to address the same.” However, the DG faced criticism for the absence of persons with disabilities in NYS’s Council.
Tembur informed the Committee about the current composition of the Service, which consists of 2,201 officers, with 1,525 males and 676 females. He mentioned that 944 male and 510 female officers had been promoted, including 14 who were disabled.
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NYS Reduces KCSE Grade Requirement From D to D- (Minus) for Wider Recruitment
