Education CS Ogamba announces opening of KUCCPS Placement Portal for KCSE 2024 Students

The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Julius Ogamba, has officially announced the activation of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) portal for degree applications, specifically targeting the 2024 cohort of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education graduates who have attained a minimum mean grade of C+.

The portal will be accessible until April 21, with the expectation of receiving applications from approximately 246,391 eligible candidates seeking admission into various degree programs. Ogamba emphasized that there are a total of 305,223 available slots, with 245,495 allocated to public universities and 59,728 to private institutions.

The Cabinet Secretary elaborated that the portal was initially opened in January in a phased approach, allowing applicants to enroll in Technical Vocational Education and Training institutions, Teacher Training Colleges, and the Kenya Medical Training College. The current phase is dedicated to university admissions, which will remain open for the next 30 days, facilitating the admission process for students across both public and private universities.

Furthermore, Ogamba reiterated the government’s commitment to enhancing higher education by providing loans and scholarships. He indicated that students accepted into public universities for the September intake would be eligible for both student loans and government scholarships, while those placed in private universities would only qualify for student loans.

Regarding the ongoing review of the new university funding model, Ogamba reported that the committee established by President William Ruto in September of the previous year has submitted its recommendations. These modifications will include adjustments to the means testing instrument to ensure that students are categorized into funding bands reflective of their financial capabilities.

Additionally, the National Committee on the Review of the Model has assessed the costs associated with university programs to ensure alignment with similar programs offered at universities within the East African region.

Ogamba stated that the ministry plans to disseminate information regarding the revised funding model to current and prospective students within the next 14 days, as mandated by the Court of Appeal. He also noted that the concerns raised in court will be integrated into the review process to refine the model, ensuring its effectiveness and relevance. The government aims to balance legal considerations with political and practical realities to ensure that no student is left without support due to inadequacies in the funding model.