Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has announced the opening of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) portal for the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education graduates who scored a mean grade of C+ and above to apply for degree programs.
The CS says that the portal will remain open until 21 April, adding that they are ready to receive applications from some 246,391 who qualified to join various degree programs. Ogamba noted that they are seeking to fill a total of 305,223 vacancies. Out of these slots, a total 245,495 are in public universities while 59,728 are in private universities.
“We opened the portal from January but we did it in phases. The first time when we opened, it was for the purposes of those who wanted to undertake courses in Technical Vocational Education and Training institutions, Teacher Training Colleges and Kenya Medical Training College to be able to apply,” said the CS.
“We have opened it today for university students and we are going to have it open for the next 30 days. We are now ready to deal with the issues relating to the admission of students in whatever they are taking and whichever university they are going to, both public and private,” he added.
The CS also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting higher education in the country by availing loans and scholarships. He said that students who apply to join public universities during this year’s September intake would enjoy both student loans and government scholarships, whereas those who opt to be placed in private universities would only benefit from student loans.
On the progress of the review of the new university funding model, Ogamba said that the committee which was set up by President William Ruto in September last year to look into the issues hindering the full implementation of the framework has already tabled its recommendations.
The CS revealed that some of the modifications will touch on the means testing instrument to ensure that students are placed in funding bands that meet their financial capacity.
Additionally, the National Committee on the Review of the Model had also reviewed the cost of university programs with the aim of aligning them to the cost of the same programs in universities in the East Africa region.
Ogamba said that the ministry will be publicizing the modified model to the current and incoming students within the next 14 days as directed by the court of appeal.
“Apart from that, the issues that were raised in the court are issues that we would include in that review and refine it so that when we roll it out in the coming days it will be one that meets the purpose of the funding model. As a government, we have been able to ensure that we balance the legal issues against the political and pragmatic situation so that nobody is at home on the basis that the funding model has not worked for them,” added the CS.
The CS spoke on Friday during the fifth graduation ceremony of Nyeri National Polytechnic. During the event a total of 2,515 graduates were awarded certificates and diplomas in different fields.
Ogamba said the Ministry was committed to expanding access to quality TVET education by rolling out various programs which will ensure that TVET learners acquire practical, hands-on skills for the job market.
Terming TVET as the country’s hope for development, he urged the graduates to use their skills to be job creators and innovators. “The government is implementing the Competency-Based Education and Training. We are also strengthening the Dual Training Model, integrating industry experience with classroom learning to enhance employability.
Our Recognition of Prior Learning programme of certifying skills acquired outside formal education, offering more opportunities for experienced workers further buttresses the determination to ensure Kenyans in the TVET sector have necessary validation to carry out their work,” he said.
By Wangari Mwangi and Geoffrey Chaura
