Explainer: What is causing the delay in Kuccps Application Portal Opening in 2025

Weeks after the release of the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results, students eligible for university admission find themselves in uncertainty due to the course selection portal not yet being activated.

On Thursday, the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) explained that this delay is linked to a High Court decision that invalidated the new funding model introduced in September 2023, declaring it unconstitutional.

Without an alternative funding system, the government is uncertain about how to finance these students.

KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer Mercy Wahome stated that the government has appealed the High Court’s ruling, with the case scheduled for February 24.

“To prevent a crisis in higher education funding, we have sought legal intervention. We filed an appeal to request the court to suspend the implementation of the judgment,” Wahome noted.

She expressed optimism that the upcoming ruling will clarify matters, allowing the placement process to move ahead smoothly.

“The university intake is planned for September, and we are hopeful that once the ruling is made, we can prepare accordingly to ensure timely student enrollment,” added Wahome.

However, if the Court of Appeal does not grant a stay on the ruling, a potential crisis could arise as the government explores alternative financing options for students.

Time is also tight for the application, selection, placement, and admission process, with government-sponsored university students expected to start in September.

In the 2024 KCSE exams, 246,391 students achieved a mean grade of C+ or higher, qualifying for university admission out of the 962,512 candidates who sat for the exams.

Among the top achievers, 1,693 candidates received an A (Plain), a notable rise from the 1,216 in 2023. Additionally, 7,743 candidates scored an A-, 19,150 received a B+, 43,120 achieved a B (Plain), 75,347 got a B- (Minus), and 99,338 earned a C+ (Plus), the minimum grade for university entry.

Typically, following the announcement of results, the Education Cabinet Secretary instructs KUCCPS to start the selection and placement process immediately.

In the previous year, then Education CS Ezekiel Machogu directed the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to promptly deliver the results to KUCCPS to facilitate placements.

However, this year, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba did not instruct KUCCPS to announce available university slots or initiate the placement process.

Furthermore, universities need to report the number of slots for different courses to provide clarity on approved programs and available capacity.

“We provided this information to the Commission for University Education (CUE), but it is up to KUCCPS to publicize it,” commented Prof. Daniel Mugendi, chairman of the vice-chancellors’ committee.

Students seeking to pursue TVET and KMTC Courses have already applied for Kuccps placement, online

The 2024 KCSE cohort will be the third group affected by the now-invalidated funding model, which was based on students’ financial needs. Experts suggest a possible return to the Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) model, previously used for allocating funds to universities.