Students to start selecting varsity courses as KUCCPS opens portal
Education
By
Mike Kihaki
| May 17, 2023
Some 173,137 learners who scored a mean grade of C+ and above in the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination have qualified for admission to public universities.
Those who scored C-plain and below will be placed in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions. However, those students who scored C+ and above but would wish to join TVET institutions are free to do so.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said students will be placed based on merit and availability of space in the universities.
Upon placement, the students will be expected to contact their respective institutions for joining instructions and guidance on how to apply for government scholarships and loans from the University Fund as well as the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb).
While launching the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) portal on Wednesday in Nairobi, CS Machogu said the portal has information on the cost for courses of each university to guide learners to make informed decisions based on the family's income.
''KUCCPS will place all qualified candidates to various programmes based on merit and choice to universities, colleges, national polytechnics and other Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions,'' Machogu said.
He noted that students who will be placed in any of the public universities will be eligible for government scholarships and loans while those who select private universities will only be eligible for government loans.
''Each student will be treated based on the level of their need and that no deserving student should be denied an opportunity to acquire higher education,'' emphasised Machogu.
The CS pointed out that the placement which was to take place in March was delayed to find a proper funding formula.
"I have today asked KUCCPS to open its portal to allow all KCSE candidates to start applying for courses they wish to study in universities and TVET institutions," said Machogu. ''I have made the directive after getting satisfied that the placement service has met the conditions of the new model, having verified and published all the fees details of all the programmes on their website," he added.
The CS noted that 39 public universities, 33 private universities, three secondary Teachers Training Colleges (TTCs) and 205 public TVETS had applied to KUCCPS to absorb learners.
Machogu directed KUCCPS officials jointly work with the Huduma Kenya Secretariat, which has 52 centres across the country to ensure students are guided on the courses before they make choices.
''I expect the Placement agency to mount a robust communication and sensitisation exercise to ensure all students have details of the application process,'' the CS said. The exercise is expected to be completed by August 2023.
About 45,000 learners who fall under the vulnerable cluster will go through the entire course for free as the government foots their fees.