No fee hike in varsities as applications start
No fee hike in varsities as applications start
No fee hike in varsities as applications start
Candidates’ parents who took the KCSE exam the previous year won’t have to pay more for their kids’ college and university tuition.It is becoming apparent that schools and universities have been told to keep the prices at the same levels as they did the previous year and not to increase the cost of the courses they had announced.
The information became public when the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) declared the opening of enrollment for the 899,453 pupils who passed the 2023 KCSE and were eligible for degrees and diploma programs.
According to The Standard, senior Ministry of Education officials and the Universities Fund (UF) have been directed to go into the reported courses and expenses associated with flag universities that may have reviewed their rates upwards.Vice-chancellors have been forewarned of severe measures if it is discovered that they have disregarded directions against.
This year’s cohort will be the second to be admitted under the new funding model.Under the new funding model, universities have the liberty to set individual programme fees, but cannot change them for admitted students during their studies.
On Thursday, KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer Mercy Wahome said while the application primarily targeted last year’s candidates, school leavers in the last 12 years are also eligible to apply for non-degree courses.“The online KUCCPS application portal is open for placement of students to universities, TVET institutions, Kenya Medical Training College, Teachers Training Colleges and Open University of Kenya,” Dr Wahome said in a statement.
According to Dr. Wahome, each student will be enrolled in a variety of courses, such as artisan, diploma, degree, and certificate programs.Approximately 201,073 students were eligible to enroll in degree programs at colleges around the US.The remaining 694,231 are fighting for placement at TVET schools, TTCs, and KMTC campuses for diplomas and certificates.
Sixty-nine (69) universities, including the Open University of Kenya, three secondary Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs), 226 public TVET colleges and 86 KMTC campuses have declared vacancies.Last year, Medicine, Dental surgery, Pharmacy and Engineering stood out as the most expensive degree courses under the new university funding model. Students joining university this September to pursue Medicine and Dental surgery will pay as high as Sh600,000 fees – depending on their university of choice – for the first year.
Mobilisation campaign
Application for placement will be through the student’s portal www.student.kuccps.net which will open for two weeks for the first round.
Students have been advised to use their birth certificate number or Kenya Certificate of Primary Education as used during registration for the KCSE examination as the initial password.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has called on all learners who sat KCSE in the last 13 years to take up the opportunity for placement.
In order to guarantee that no one is left behind, he threw down the gauntlet to KUCCPS and educators: try to get every Form 4 leaver to apply for a course in a university.In order to assist students in choosing the courses they want to pursue, Machogu stated, “I directed KUCCPS to roll out an awareness, sensitization, and application mobilization campaign at 262 centers across the country covering 210 training institutions and 52 Huduma Centers.”
The CS went on to say that in order to guarantee that all students successfully transfer from secondary schools to higher education institutions, it will be necessary for all State entities to share collective responsibility.
“I give KUCCPS the go-ahead to collaborate in a multi-agency manner with the Universities Fund, the Higher Education Loans Board, and other pertinent partners and State organs to guarantee that the greatest number of Form Four leavers are contacted and helped to submit their applications,” Machogu said.
Following the placement process, students can apply for loans and scholarships through the Universities Fund and Higher Education Loans Board (HELB). All students are eligible for government assistance through loans or scholarships.
