All students will have chance to apply for courses despite system hiccups, KUCCPS assures

The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) is addressing challenges experienced by students in accessing their portal, an official has said.

Most students applying for courses in public universities and colleges have not been able to do it due to a system downtown.

However, KUCCPS Placement officer Jane Wamboi said:

“Our Information Technology staff are addressing the issue. Over the last week, the number of applicants has gone up gradually. I want to assure you that no student will be left out,” she said.

She was responding to questions from students from the Bobasi Constituency during a career day organized by local professionals at Nyamache Social Hall.

The professionals from Kisii County partnered with KUCCPS and the High Education Loans Board (HELB) to advise students on course selection ahead of the closure of the deadline on February 22, 2022.

They were also sensitized on the new Universities Funding Model.

There has been a challenge of the portal being a bit slow possibly due to the pressure of all the 800,000 having a mad rush to apply with less than a week to the deadline.

University of Nairobi’s senior lecturer Samuel Siringi said:

“It is the first time KCSE candidates are applying for courses after they’ve left their high schools. Previously, they had applied before KCSE and then offered a chance to revise their selection after the results were out. That is why we organized this event.”

“This career day is important because the students now do not have their high school career masters to assist them with career guidance on selecting the courses. There have been complaints from students that they don’t have adequate information on good courses to select that meet their career aspirations.” 

The session was part of KUCCPS’ awareness, sensitization, and application mobilization campaign at 262 centers across the country covering 210 training institutions and 52 Huduma Centers.

KUCCPS opened the portal for the 2024/25 placement cycle for students wishing to join the 69 universities, three Secondary Teachers Training Colleges, 226 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVETS) and the Kenya Medical Training Colleges (KMTC) campuses.

All the 2023 candidates are eligible for degree and TVET programs while those between the years 2000 and 2023 are eligible to apply for TVET courses only.

KMTC programs target KCSE examination cohorts from the year 2014 to 2023.

Last week, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu directed KUCCPS to ensure that the placement process is completed on time to give successful and eligible applicants adequate time to apply for government loans and scholarships under the new funding model.

Machogu asked KUCCPS to work with HELB, the Universities Fund, other relevant state partners, and state organs in a multi-agency approach to ensure as many form four leavers as possible are reached and assisted in submitting their applications.