Business Daily
Date: 31.01.2017
Page 5
Article size: 240 cm2
ColumnCM: 53.33
AVE: 101333.33
Local varsities can admit twice number of eligible students
BY OUMA WANZALA
Local universities have declared capacity
to admit at least125,580 students start­
ing September, almost twice the 88,929
candidates who scored C+ and above.
The Kenya Universities and Colleges
gramme. Mr Muraguri announced that
survival of parallel courses and private
the first revision of courses will close on
universities in an era where the govern­
February 17 and asked candidates who
did not apply in their schools to use the
opportunity and submit their choices.
ment absorbs most of the students who
Private universities are likely to scale
down their activities due to the latest de­
Central Placement Service (KUCCPS)
announced that public universities have
through respective schools and would
81,931 spaces while their private coun­
like to revise their choices," said Mr
sponsored students.
Last year 74,389 candidates joined
public universities while another 12,000
were sponsored by the government to
join private universities. The 67diploma
colleges across the country will be able
to absorb 46,708 students.
"After considering the total declared
capacities in both public and private uni­
versities for degree programmes under
government sponsoreship, taking into
account analysis of the 2016 KCSE ex­
amination results, the placement service
dilemma.
"The revision exercise will be done
online by all applicants including those
who had submitted their applications
terparts can absorb 43,649 government­
score a C+ and above will be the biggest
Muraguri.
velopment as more than44,000 students
who scored C will now have to pursue
diploma courses.
The announcement comes in the
John Muraguri, the Kenya Universities
and Colleges Central Placement Service
robi will admit the highest number of
ment that funding of public universi­
CEO. FILE
students in an exercise that is set to be
ties will be based on the cost of running
concluded by April.
Last year Moi University admited
5,825 students, followed by Kenyatta
University at 5,598 and University of
academic programmes instead of the
board has set a cut­off for placement to
degree programmes at a minimum ag­
gregate of C+(46points)," said KUCCPS
chief executive John Muraguri.
He added that the board had ap­
proved that candidates who attained a
minimum aggregate grade of C­ apply
for placement in diploma programmes
under the government sponsored pro­
Moi, Kenyatta and University of Nai­
Nairobi at 5,374.
Education Cabinet Secretary Fred
Matiang'i said students will have an
wake of a declaration by the govern­
number of students enrolled.
Dr Matiang'i said the new policy
takes effect in the new financial year
that begins in July. This means univer­
sities offering courses such as medicine,
dentistry, engineering, architecture and
opportunity to choose between private
and public universities during revision
law will receive more cash for tuition
of their courses. That means that the
arts and humanities.
compared to those offering largely the
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya