Placement of students into colleges and universities is expected be completed by 12th April, 2019. This is according to Education Cabinet Secretary, Dr Amina Mohammed. The CS said this while launching this year’s selection process through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service, KUCCPS.
BELOW IS THE FULL PRESSER BY DR AMINA CONCERNING THE 2019 PLACEMENT EXERCISE:
“ADMISSION OF THE 2018 KCSE COHORT TO UNIVERSITIES AND
TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING
INSTITUTIONS UNDER GOVERNMENT-SPONSORSHIP:
Over the years, the Government has initiated robust measures to expand opportunities for learning in post-secondary institutions Universities, colleges and TVET institutions with the singular aim of reducing wastage in the education system. Some of these measures have been achieved through unprecedented financial investments in various institutions in line with the Government’s broad human resource development agenda.
In tandem with the broad objective of expanding access to higher education, the Ministry has instituted a well organised and meticulous system of selection and admission of students to the higher learning institutions. Specifically, the Ministry has endeavored to start the process of placing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates to various universities and colleges early enough to reduce the period that the
transitioning learners stay at home before joining tertiary institutions.
After sectoral consultations this morning, and in lne with this methodical approach of managing transitions from secondary to higher levels of education, the Ministry is now ready to start the placement process of the 2018 KCSE candidates through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
Based on the 2018 KCSE results, 651,189 candidates qualified for placement to tertiary institutions at various levels under Government sponsorship. Of these, 90,744 attained a mean grade of C+ and above, meaning that they all qualified to join local universities. I wish to announce that all the candidates who scored C+ and above in the 2018 KCSE examination will be selected for admission to degree courses in both public and private universities.
Further, 121,288 who scored between C plain and C-in the 2018 KCSE examination are all eligible for placement in diploma courses in tertiary TVET institutions under the Government sponsorship programme
In addition, 244,436 who scored D and D+ in the 2018 KCSE are eligible for placement in Craft Certificate Courses in TVET institutions. To guarantee that we will not drop off any candidate who sat the 2018 KCSE, all 194,721 who scored between E and D-in the examination are eligible for selection to Artisan courses in the existing 800 Vocational Education and Training (VET) institutions.
I wish to announce that the Government has enhanced financing to higher education as clearly attested to by the Kshs. 13.5B spent by HELB on learners in the sector this financial year. Currently, HELB is funding students in 74 Universities and 130 TVET institutions. Government is looking for resources for enhanced enrolment into TVET institutions across the country. I therefore encourage more KCSE graduates to apply for
admission to approved Ministry of Education TVET institutions.
The Ministry is determined to enhance enrolment into STEM courses as part of the efforts to build capacity to deliver the Big 4 Agenda. Further, the TVET courses will produce the competencies needed to transform our country into ‘a newly industrialised, middle-income economy.
To ensure we do not lose time in the selection process, I have this morning directed KUCCPS to open its online application system for the exercise, which will go on until Saturday, February 23rd, 2019.
I therefore invite all the KCSE examination candidates who wish to revise their choices for Degree, Diploma and Certificate courses for Government sponsorship to proceed with the exercise as soon as the portal is open. The aim is to ensure they realign their selection with their performance in the KCSE examination and take care of any change in their new career interests.
Those who did not complete the application process in school should also use this opportunity to apply.
After the revision, the Placement Service will process the applications on merit, taking into account the students’ performance in the KCSE examination, choices, available capacity and affirmative action for gender, persons with disabilities and candidates from marginalised regions. The process will culminate in the final selection of students for admission to Universities and TVET institutions, which will be concluded by April 12th, 2019. Selection to universities will cater only for the KCSE candidates while placement to TVET institutions will take care of other previous years up to the year 2000.
To ensure candidates join courses and institutions of their choice, a one-month window will be provided in May, 2019 for the selected students to apply for inter-institutional transfers.
The application procedure and other relevant guiding information may be accessed through the Placement Service website https://www.kuccps.ac.ke immediately after the conclusion of this news conference.
To support this exercise, the Placement Service will send officers to various institutions in counties across the country, from 11th February to 17th February, 2019 to assist candidates in making their applications. The details will be announced by the Placement Service.
I wish to reiterate that we are determined to do all we can to support full transition into tertiary institutions across the country. I have also asked the Placement Agency to conduct the exercise with military precision to guarantee efficiency”
Amb. (Dr.) Amina Mohamed, EGH, CAV
CABINET SECRETARY
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