More than 42,000 candidates who sat for the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and qualified for entry into university did not apply for placement, raising fresh concerns at the Ministry of Education over the rising numbers of students opting to shun higher education.
Education Cabinet Secretary Dr. Julius Ogamba made the observation during the official release of results for 2024 university placement.
Out of 965,501 candidates who sat for the KCSE, 244,563 scored a C+ and above – the minimum qualification for entry into universities. But only 201,695 of them applied to colleges via the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), shutting out a staggering 42,868 students.
In addition, 7,000 students who applied for university placement were not matched with any institution.
Ogamba revealed that some high-performing students made a deliberate decision to pursue alternative courses other than university. He further stated that about 7,640 C+ and above students chose to go to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, while another 6,750 enrolled in courses at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), primary Teacher Training Colleges, and similar institutions.
Amongst university applicants, a majority veered towards highly sought programs like engineering and medicine.
Nevertheless, Dr. Ogamba expressed concern at the high number of students who were eligible but did not apply at all. He mentioned possible factors like financial constraints, limited access to accurate information, and lingering myths surrounding the new funding model as probable discouraging factors.
Alternative Education Paths Gain Popularity
Nonetheless, the Ministry indicated rising demand for alternative programs, especially in primary teacher training. Diploma programs in primary education received 20,786 applications – exceeding the available capacity for 13,823 places. Of those who applied, 11,636 students secured admission..
Kenya Medical Training Colleges (KMTCs) across the country also recorded a surge in applications, with 52,725 applicants. The most sought-after course was nursing. But just 25,034 applicants were offered slots, leaving more than half of the applicants unplaced.
“Other highly sought KMTC courses include Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Medical Emergency Technician and Community Health, among others,” stated the Education Minister.
The government has challenged students who were not selected to seek other alternatives like the Open University of Kenya, Teacher Training Colleges, and subsequent intakes in institutions like the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) to be carried out in September.
In order to give students more time and options, the website of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) remains open for those students who have yet to apply. Students are also eligible to apply for support from the Higher Education Fund, the windows of which are now open for applications.
As of Wednesday, July 2, KUCCPS has successfully placed 193,372 students into various degree and tertiary programs. This accounts for 79.4 percent of students who scored a C+ and above in the 2024 KCSE.
Of the placed students, 162,252 will attend public universities, while 17,873 were awarded places in private universities.