The Ministry of Education has raised the alarm after more than 50,000 students who qualified for university and college admission failed to apply for placement through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) portal. This revelation has sparked concern over the future of higher education access in the country.
Of the total, 42,000 students chose not to apply at all, while 7,000 applied but were not placed. According to the Ministry, 7,640 students who scored a C+ and above opted to join Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, while 6,750 chose to enrol in Kenya Medical Training Colleges (KMTCs) and primary Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs).
Dr Julius Ogambo, Director of University Education, emphasized that while courses like engineering and medicine remain popular, there is a growing interest in other programs. Notably, the diploma in primary school teaching attracted 20,786 applications for only 13,823 available slots. Of these, 11,636 students secured placements.
KMTCs also registered a surge in applications, with 52,725 students seeking admission. Nursing was the most in-demand course, although only 25,034 students were placed in KMTC programmes. High-interest fields included Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Medical Emergency Technician, and Community Health.
In response to the high number of students bypassing university placement, the Ministry has revised the cost of university education downward by up to 40%. This move follows a review of the means testing model used to determine student financial need. Factors such as school fees history, family farm size, medical expenses, and even applications to the Hustler Fund are now considered to ensure a more accurate assessment of financial capability.
“The goal is to make education as affordable and accessible to all,” Dr Ogambo said, encouraging students who have yet to apply to take advantage of the still-open KUCCPS portal. The Higher Education Fund application portal also remains open to help students secure financial support.
The Ministry hopes these efforts will reduce barriers to higher education and ensure all deserving students get the opportunity to pursue their academic ambitions.
