Education CS Ezekiel Machogu has said that only 121,391 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education candidates who scored C+ and above have applied for university placement.
In a statement on Monday, Machogu said the figure represents 60.8 per cent of the total number of candidates who scored university entry grades.
He said that the Ministry of Education projects that at least 86 per cent of 2023 KCSE candidates will apply for university placement through Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
The remaining 14 per cent, according to Machogu are expected to seek placement in universities not listed in KUCCPS, Module II programmes and or institutions of higher learning in other countries.
"As of February 25, 2024, a total of 121,391 candidates who obtained C+ and above in the 2023 KCSE Examination had applied for various courses. This accounts for 60.8% of the 199,695 Kenyan citizens who scored a mean grade of C+ and above in the 2023 Examination," Machogu said.
"Based on the application behaviour of 2022 KCSE Examination candidates who obtained a mean grade C+ and above, it is projected that 86% of the 2023 KCSE candidates with C+ and above (171,738) will apply for placement."
This comes after KUCCPS extended the placement application deadline indefinitely.
CEO Mercy Wahome said the decision was made to ascertain that all targeted students have applied.
"Arising from the ongoing process, I wish to assure those who have not yet submitted their applications, and Kenyans in general, that the application deadline, which was set for February 26, 2024, has been extended until KUCCPS ascertains that all targeted students have applied," the statement reads in part.
CS Machogu, however, directed the Service to extend the deadline for only seven days.
"Further to the extension notice issued by KUCCPS on February 25, 2024, and to ensure that all the remaining applicants get a chance to submit their choices both to universities and colleges, the Ministry of Education has instructed the Placement Agency to extend the deadline for seven more days, until March 4, 2024."
He also urged all students who scored mean grades between C and E to apply for desired Diplomas, craft certificates or artisan programmes in TVET institutions.
