New start as freshers flock to public varsities
Education
By
Mike Kihaki
| Sep 08, 2023
Majority of universities have recorded huge turn-out of first year students as admission process starts.
This paves way to a week-long orientation designed to acquaint the new students ahead of commencement of lectures.
Some universities have reaped big following the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) window of inter-university transfer for continuing students.
Kenyatta University Acting Registrar (Academic) Prof Bernard Kivunge said majority of the students placed by KUCCPS have already reported.
''We have recorded first year students who have reported are 7,500 out of the 7,968 that were placed by the KUCCPS,'' he said.
Prof Kivunge said 2,500 students have applied directly to the university with 750 students transferred to KU from other universities which has boosted the student population.
''We continue to show healthy growth this year bucking national enrolment trends through a combination of boosting strong student support services and introducing cutting edge academic programmes that prepare our students for success,'' he added.
He further said that with the new funding model, students were admitted as the wait for the government to settle their school fees.
''We have admitted them without fees as requested by the government as we wait the ministry to meet its part of the bargain. As they were being admitted, they were applying for funding,'' Prof Kivunge said.
This is contrary to previous years when students were required to submit receipts to show they have paid fees before admission.
''Our systems are automated so that the students pay fees out there and automatically reflect in our systems. The government understands that the students who are coming in under the new funding model are here,'' he added.
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) Vice Chancellor Prof Victoria Ngumi said 502 students have joined the institution under inter-university transfer, adding that the institution expects to surplus the 6,917 students placed by KUCCPS.
Technical University of Kenya Prof Paul Shiundu noted that 300 students had expressed interest to join the university through inter-university transfer while 100 students are on their way out. He added that 90 per cent of the 4,000 students placed by KUCCPS have reported to the university.
This comes a week after the Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu ordered universities to admit students even before they get funding to ensure none of them is locked out of joining campus.