KNEC bridging courses

KNEC bridging courses : All you need to know

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If you’re looking for guidelines about KNEC bridging courses, then you have come to the right place.

First, what are KNEC bridging courses?

Bridging courses meaning

KNEC bridging courses are short courses in which you re-sit subject/subjects you had failed at the KCSE, hoping to improve your grade.

The purpose of KNEC bridging courses is to help you meet the minimum entry requirements for your dream course.

For this reason, the bridging course acceptability might be limited to the college/university that is offering the course.

For example, to take some Diploma courses in Kenya,  you need at least a C- (Certificate) in some subjects.

Subsequently, you will want to take a bridging course in Kenya to boost your grade, if you had a D+, for instance in such subjects.

Entry requirements for KNEC bridging courses

There’s no minimum grade for KNEC bridging courses (of course, apart from your KCSE certificate)- indeed, you can even ‘bridge’ a subject which you had previously score an E grade.

So what is important is to research what grades are required to take the course of your dreams then work hard – while bridging at the college you choose- since the primary purpose of the ‘bridging’ is to earn the minimum entry grade for the course.

 

How long do KNEC bridging courses take?

It takes just 6-9 months on average (depending on the institution you join out of the colleges offering bridging courses in Kenya) to bridge a KNEC subject.

You can attend studies fulltime, part-time (evening and mornings), or weekends- and even some colleges offering bridging courses online.

 

What subjects can you bridge in?

For the most part, you can bridge in sciences (chemistry, physics, and Biology) and maths.

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Are KNEC bridging courses recognized?

Yes, but only by the college/university offering it.

As mentioned, the goal of the program is to allow you reach the grade for the course so they’ll allow you to join your chosen course if you achieve that grade during your bridging exams.

But that’s the only recognition awarded these courses.

In fact, in some cases, the bridging may not be helpful when seeking employment if you don’t meet the stringent requirements set by employers.

Let’s take teaching for example:

To become a secondary school teacher, you must have a KCSE mean grade of C+ in two teaching subjects.

Now, even if you bridge, the TSC won’t recognize your bridging certificate at the moment and your efforts to join the profession via bridging will fail.

That’s why we advise people to resit the KCSE (the whole exam) if you’re looking at getting KCSE grades that will get universal recognition.

But if you must take a bridging certificate, then go ahead and identify a university or an institute that teaches bridging courses in the relevant subjects and enroll for a bridging course.

Note: In the past years, KNEC bridging courses were widely accepted and you could even use them to join a degree program if you had not passed well in your KCSE.

But those are the days when higher education in Kenya had been commercialized by unscrupulous officials looking to make a kill from Kenyans yearning to secure a university degree.

The government has since ‘seen the light’ and regularized university education in Kenya hence the limited recognition of bridging courses in Kenya.

 

Intakes for bridging courses in Kenya

Colleges have their KNEC bridging courses intakes mostly at the beginning of the year (esquire in January) though some have continuous intakes.

There aren’t many colleges offering the program so it’s important to start your college search shortly immediately after getting your KCSE results, if you choose to pursue that path.

 

Institutions offering KNEC bridging courses in Kenya

You can enroll for  bridging courses in these institutions for specific courses:

1. Bridge College-Nairobi

Bridge college is one of the most popular when it comes to bridging courses in Kenya.

You’ll be asked to provide clear copies of these documents:

  • Copy of your KCSE results
  • Copy of your KCPE Certificate
  • Copy of your Birth Certificate
  • 4 coloured of your passport photo

Apply before 3 years (in January) from the date you did your KCSE examination- KNEC rules needs you to upgrade (if you want to do that) before the expiry of 3 years.

Again please apply early January- because once KNEC registration dates close, you may not get an opportunity.

 

2. Cooperative University – Nairobi

Course: CERTIFICATE IN BRIDGING MATHEMATICS

Contacts;

Location: Karen

Cellphone: 0724311606, 020 2430127,020 2679456

Website: https://www.cuk.ac.ke/admissions/bridging-certificate-diploma-courses/

3. Catholic University

Course: Bridging Courses in both Mathematics and English

Contacts;

Location: Lang’ata, Nairobi

Cellphone: 0709-691111 /0709-691000

Website: http://www.cuea.edu/

4. Mt. Kenya University

Course: Bridging Courses in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and English

Contacts;

Location: Thika, General Kago Rd

Cellphone: 0709 153 000

Website: https://www.mku.ac.ke/index.php/academic-programmes/118-programmes/536-certificate-in-bridging-mathematics

Does KMTC offer bridging courses?

No, KMTC doesn’t offer KNEC bridging courses through there was a time the college was offering internally-examined bridging courses in Chemistry, Math, Biology, and Physics.

These KMTC bridging courses aimed at helping applicants who didn’t achieve the minimum entry grades qualify for their favorite courses at KMTC.

The college stopped the bridging courses immediately the government started tightening the controls around admissions into KMTC and other higher education programs in Kenya.

Final word

A  bridging course can help you stand a better chance of gaining direct entry into your dream course.

But unlike in the past days, it might not be beneficial outside gaining entry into your course (Diploma or Degree) as the government is very strict when it comes to some programmes.

Our advice is for you to repeat the whole KCSE exam -even if you have to do it as a private candidate- if you’re looking at getting grades that can help you in the long run.

 

ALSO READ:

KNEC registration private candidates [Step-by-step guide]

KCSE private tuition in Nairobi [The best centers]

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CPA John Gitahi is a trainer at Kenya Online College, Kenya Institute of Information Technology and NITA and has been involved in education all his life. He is very passionate about helping young people make great career choices. He studied Commerce and ICT at the University. He is also an avid traveller.

70 thoughts on “KNEC bridging courses : All you need to know”

  4. I sat my kcse in 2010.. Had some health problem for sometime prior to exam.. Wanted to upgrade my physics and mathematics.. Is there anything I can do since its now more than 2years

    Reply

  15. I did my KCSE in 2019 and I got B plain I want to bridge my grade to A- in order to do medicine related course is that possible

    Reply

  16. What can I do to passue diploma in clinical medicine since I qualified everything but only English is letting me down

    Reply

  18. hello,
    what does it mean to resit kcse as a private candidate?
    is it a requirement to do a bridging course before joining university or you can still do one even after you are done with university studies?

    Reply

  25. I sat my KCSE exam at 2018…..I needed a career as a secondary school teacher but English has failed me I had a C- in English……can bridging help me upgrade my Engling to C plain in order to pursue education science ……since I passed well in my sciences……and TSC recognize me after completion of the course???????

    Reply

  26. I sat my KCSE exam in 2018…..I needed to pursue education science but where the problem is in English where I had a C- can I bridge in English in order to get a entry requirements to join my course???? Also will TSC recognize me after my college?????

    Reply

  27. Hello,I’m Ismail I did my KCSE 2019 and got Mean grade C+ with Maths A- and Chemistry C,Can I do bridging to Do Teaching in Maths and Chemisrty in the University and if Yes, Do TSC allow me that profession

    Reply

  28. Hello,I’m Ismail I sat my KCSE 2019 nd attained C+ and I have got A- mathematics and C Chemisrty can I Bridge in Chemisrty to do teaching in the University

    Reply

  30. I did kcse this year and got a mean grade of C plain with D plain in biology and D+ In mathematics and I want to purse a diploma in nursing advise me please

    Reply

  31. I did my KCSE last year and attained C+ overall but D+ in biology. How can I bridge biology to enable me to undertake diploma in nursing?

    Reply

  33. Hello i did my ksce this year i got B i have passed all subject expect chem which i haveD+ and i want to do nursing how can you help

    Reply

  40. Am a student looking forward to do bridging in mathematics and sciences, but due to my KCSE examination year(2020) am convinced that I can’t do bridging according to the KNEC rules, unless I contact the KNEC offices for guidelines. Please help

    Reply

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