KUCCPS to let students pursue their preffered university courses in policy shift
KUCCPS to let students pursue their preffered university courses in policy shift
Students applying for university admission may soon have the freedom to pursue their preferred courses without interference by KUCCPS, should a new proposal by MPs be adopted.
Currently, the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) places students into programmes based on available capacities and national balancing criteria—even when it means assigning a student a course different from their top choice.
Under the new proposal, MPs want the placement process to prioritise individual student preference over institutional or national balancing, potentially ending years of contention from students who feel forced into undesired career paths.
This emerged during a parliamentary meeting between the Public Investments Committee on Education and Governance of the National Assembly, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), and the placement service.
KUCCPS assigns courses by first allowing students to choose several programmes during the application, based on their KCSE performance. Each course has specific subject and cluster point requirements that students must meet to be considered.
Qualified applicants are then ranked competitively, with top performers getting priority for popular courses. However, if a course or university is full, KUCCPS may place a student in a lower-ranked choice that still fits their qualifications.
The system also considers institutional capacity and national equity, sometimes placing students in different courses or universities to ensure fair distribution. This has led to concerns from students who feel forced into programmes they did not prefer—an issue MPs now want to address through reforms.
Tanzania responds over Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire torture
DP Kindiki heckled in Nyeri as ‘Wantam’ slogans rent the air
Busia woman declares herself ‘Mary mother of Jesus’
Kindiki addresses reports of differences with Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire
Government scraps attachment fees charged by hospitals for KMTC students
NYS announces graduate jobs in Dubai; How to apply
Meanwhile, the lawmakers expressed concerns about KUCCPS’s decision to sponsor students in private universities, despite public universities reportedly having enough capacity to admit all qualifying candidates.
Further, the MPs asked KUCCPS, led by CEO Agnes Wahome, to explain why public funds were directed to private institutions without a clear policy.
”We must ask tough questions when taxpayers’ money is used to support private universities while public ones remain underutilized,” stated Kilome MP Thuddeus Nzambia, who also doubles as the chair of the committee during the session.
Lawmakers also questioned the transparency and accountability of the placement process. They requested a breakdown of student placements by institution, capacity declarations from private universities, and systems for monitoring students after placement.
In response, KUCCPS CEO Wahome affirmed that KUCCPS had developed a digital platform and policy guidelines to help track student enrollment and placement.
Gachagua’s DCP launches nationwide mobilisation programme to oust Ruto
Hospitals are in financial distress and receive low SHA payments; report
Parliament approves Erastus Ethekon as IEBC Chair, 6 others as commissioners
Drama in court as suspect in Kasipul MP murder case threatens to kill prosecutor
Why government dropped plan to reduce PAYE; CS Mbadi
Judiciary announces vacancies for judges
Follow us
