Mulembe Times
More than 50,000 students who qualified for university and college admissions in the 2024 KCSE have not been placed through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), raising concerns within the Ministry of Education.
According to latest government data, over 42,000 eligible candidates chose not to apply for placement through the KUCCPS portal, while an additional 7,000 applied but were not placed.
Students Shifting Away from University
While university entry typically requires a minimum grade of C+, many students who qualified have opted for alternative pathways. According to Dr Julius Ogambo, a senior official in the Ministry of Education:
“The students who scored C+ and above — we have 7,640 who elected to go to TVET institutions. We also have 6,750 who chose to join KMTC and other institutions and primary teacher training colleges.”
Popular courses such as engineering and medicine remain top choices among applicants. However, the government is also seeing a shift in student preference toward practical and skills-based training programs.
Demand Surges for Teaching and Medical Courses
Diplomas in primary school teaching are seeing a surge in popularity. The course received 20,786 applications, despite a training capacity of 13,823, leading to the placement of 11,636 students.
At Kenya Medical Training Colleges (KMTCs) across the country, demand continues to outstrip available opportunities. KMTC received 52,725 applications, with nursing emerging as the most in-demand program. Of these applicants, 25,034 students were successfully placed in various KMTC programs.
“Other KMTC programmes that are in high demand include Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Emergency Medical Technician, and Community Health,” Dr Ogambo added.
University Costs Reduced by Up to 40%
In a bid to improve higher education accessibility, the Ministry of Education has revised university fees downwards by between 15% and 40%. The government says the change follows an overhaul of the means-testing formula, which now considers a student’s background more holistically.
New parameters for assessing financial need include:
- Past school fees paid
- Family land ownership
- Medical bills incurred
- History of Hustler Fund applications
“We are capturing all these in order to place students as close as possible to their actual financial situation. The goal is to make education as affordable and accessible to all,” said Dr Ogambo.
Portals Remain Open
The KUCCPS portal remains open for students who are yet to apply, and the Higher Education Funding portal is still accepting applications for loans and scholarships.
Education stakeholders are urging students to make use of the remaining time to seek placement or financial support to secure their future in higher education.
Over 50,000 students missed KUCCPS placement despite qualifying for university. The Ministry of Education has reduced university fees by up to 40% and is urging late applicants to use open portals.
