There are growing concerns as more than half of Kenya’s university qualifiers have yet to apply for placement, three weeks after the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) opened the application portal. Out of a total of 246,000 students eligible for placement, only 104,000 have submitted their applications so far, raising alarm among Ministry of Education officials. With just one week remaining before the application portal closes, this low uptake could hinder the smooth transition of students into higher education.
In a bid to address the situation, officials from the Ministry of Education have been touring various regions across the country, engaging with students and their parents to emphasize the urgency of completing the application process within the remaining time frame. The Ministry is hopeful that their outreach efforts will inspire more students to take action before the deadline.
Prof. John Oluoch, the Director for Placement and Career Development at KUCCPS, assured stakeholders that they were doing everything possible to address the registration delays. “We have dispatched our officers from Nairobi across all 47 counties to assist with the registration process. While we are not yet halfway to the target, we remain hopeful that with the remaining time, all will be well,” he said. He also highlighted the improvements made in the infrastructure to support the application process, ensuring that students have access to the necessary resources.
In Kisii County, officials had an opportunity to address some of the issues students faced during the registration process. Notably, students pursuing medicine at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) voiced their concerns, urging the government to extend higher education funding to their programs as well. They emphasized that the lack of financial support has been a significant barrier to their education.
As the deadline looms, the Ministry’s efforts to encourage more students to apply are crucial to ensuring that all qualified students secure their spots in institutions of higher learning, and that no student is left behind.
