• Twice the number of students admitted to university will join TVET institutions, sponsored by the government.
• Placement agency data shows 171,500 students will join technical institutions, 78,000 public universities, 10,000 learners private varsities.
Image: FILE
Technical Institutions are the biggest beneficiaries of this year's admission after the government wound up the placement of students to universities.
Data from the placement agency reveals that for the first time the government will sponsor more students to join Technical and Vocational Training Institutions (TVET)compared to those headed to university.
Kenya Universities and Colleges Central College Placement Service CEO John Muraguri today is expected to present the placement report to the KUCCPS board of governance before the official release on Monday next week.
Like last year, students who scored a minimum grade of C+ in the KCSE exam will be eligible for placement in public and private universities to pursue degree courses. Of the 660,204 who sat the 2018 KCSE exam, 90,377 attained C+ and above.
A report by KUCCPS seen by the Star shows 78,000 students who sat 2018 KCSE examination will be sponsored by the government to proceed to public universities.
Another 10,000 will attend proceed to private university while some 1,104 students who scored C+ and above — automatically qualifying for university admission — have opted to join TVET institutions.
The data further shows 171,500 students will join technical institutions where they will pursue various skill courses of their choice under government sponsorship.
This year's admission will consider all candidates who have sat their KCSE between 1994-2018.
Out of this, 55,000 learners are learners who sat the KCSE exam in 2017 while the 2018 KCSE cohort will contribute some 116,500 learners proceeding to TVET.
This means double the number of students admitted to university will proceed to TVET institutions.
University fees hike
However, those joining public university this year could find education more costly as vice-chancellors call for a hike in fees paid directly by students.
Vice-chancellors want the fees tripled from the current Sh 16,000 to Sh48,000.
This would bein addition to the Sh70.000 the government provides as capitation to those it sponsors.
Education CS George Magoha in March this year supported increased university fees.
But he called their proposed three-fold increase to Sh48,000 "outrageous".
"The current fee rates in university were set 30 years ago. The cost of living has gone up since then but we will engage all stakeholders including children to avoid a standoff and a tense situation," Magoha said when appearing before the committee on appointments in parliament.
Free TVET education
By contrast, those entering TVET institutions will have more leverage as the government intends to pay all their fees and top up a stipend. This is one of he incentives adopted last year to make TVETs attractive to learners after low enrollment in last year.
The learners' annual fees are Sh56,420.
The government provides Sh30,000 as capitation grants for every student enrolling in TVETs from September this year.
Each student will be eligible for loans of as much as Sh40,000.
Of this, Sh26,400 will be paid directly to the college to cater for tuition while Sh13,600 will be sent directly to a student's account for upkeep.
(Edited by V. Graham)