University placement: Majority admitted to institutions, 128,073 to pursue degrees

A majority of students who sat the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE) last year have been placed to several universities and colleges, to pursue courses of their choice.

A total of 265,145 students will pursue degree and TVET courses.

Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) Chief Executive Officer Agnes Wahome said that some 128,073 students will pursue degree courses while 137, 072 will purses TVET courses.

Wahome, who spoke during the release of the 2021-2022 University and College Placement report, said more students had applied to TVET programmes in 2020 as compared to 2019.

6,617 students who attained C+ and above chose TVET courses, up from 2,632 in 2019.

“We encourage students to look beyond our border in areas such as ICT, Agriculture, Technology and other 21st century careers,” she urged.

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha said that this year’s selection process was meticulous, but lamented how parents played a part in slowing government’s efforts by using ‘back door’ to enroll their children to universities.

“Admission is at a lower level. We placed children properly but parents through corruption, found other means to transfer their children,” Magoha said.

 “Out of the 10,437 secondary schools that were registered examination centres in 2020, only 2,506 (24 per cent) submitted their KCSE candidates’ choices,” Magoha said.

The CS also said that there was an increase in TVET applications and admissions this year, urging more learners to embrace TVET courses to improve or learn new skills.

“This years’ placement to TVET institutions represented a 54 per cent increase from 2019. However, TVET enrolment still remains low despite government’s efforts,” said Magoha.

However, some 7,000 students did not apply to either universities, colleges, or TVETs.

Candidates can check their placement details by sending their index number to SMS code number 20842.