National Assembly Lowers Law Bachelor’s Degree Grade
The National Assembly has reduced the grade for Bachelor of Laws degrees. The Legal Education (Amendment) Bill 2023 has been approved by the National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee. This bill, introduced by Babu Owino, MP for Embakasi East, aims to reduce the criteria for law degrees in the country.
The changes proposed by MP Babu Owino will lessen the rigidity in the current law that requires higher grades for students enrolled in a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree program.
In these suggested amendments, Babu Owino seeks to remove the requirement for a B plain in English or Kiswahili so that more students can enroll in the course.
With this change, LLB graduates who do not have a B in English or Kiswahili should be allowed to enroll in the Kenya School of Law’s advocates’ training program and advance their careers.
Babu Owino emphasized that the Legal Education Act of 2010 might be enhanced with a modest amendment to make legal education and practice more accessible to Kenyans.
In Kenya, the requirements for a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree vary by college. However, in general, a C+ (Plus) average or above on the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) or an equivalent exam is required.
Applicants must also have at least a B (Plain) in English or Kiswahili on the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) or three Principal Passes on the Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education (KACE).
Furthermore, students can begin their legal studies at the Diploma level and subsequently progress to a Degree degree after completing an examination with credit from a recognized institution.
Some universities may also demand the Law Admission Test (LAT), particularly for students enrolling from the diploma level. The LAT is administered by the Council of Legal Education (CLE), Kenya’s regulating body for legal education. It is a standardized test designed to assess applicants to law school’s intellectual potential.
The CLE establishes the minimum academic standards for admission to law school, which are subject to frequent review and adjustment.
