Pre-University Students Criticize KUCCPS ID Requirement.
Pre-university students have voiced their frustrations with the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) over the necessity of having a national identity card to access the university placement portal. During a sensitization program in Kisii, attended by over 500 students, they called for improvements to the current portal, which they say is slow and costly to access at cybercafes.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has instructed universities and funding agencies to educate students, parents, and stakeholders about the student-centered funding model. Faith Nyakerario, who will soon join Kabianga University to pursue a Bachelor of Education degree, highlighted the delays in issuing national identity cards. “I applied for an ID in January, but there’s no update on when I’ll receive it. Without an ID, one can’t apply for a Helb loan,” she explained.
Similarly, Jessica Moraa, who plans to attend Masinde Muliro University, has struggled with inter-university transfers. “I hope we get clarity on the processes. I’ve tried several times to transfer, all unsuccessfully,” she stated.
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Dr. Samuel Siringi, the program organizer, acknowledged the students’ concerns about inter-university transfers, Higher Education Loans Board (Helb), and the University Fund Board. “Universities have issued admission letters to students, who must now apply for funding from the University Fund Board and Helb. Each detailed submission will be reviewed,” Siringi said.
Siringi urged parents to be patient while awaiting the University Fund Board’s assessment results. Machogu had earlier clarified that parents’ contributions would only be known after a student’s funding application and needs assessment are completed. The funding model includes scholarships, loans, and parental contributions, with the allocation depending on the assessed need of each applicant.
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Machogu also addressed the misconception that parents must pay full fees as stated in the admission letters. “Fees for each degree program will be funded through three components: scholarship, loan, and parents’ contribution. The allocation will depend on each applicant’s assessed level of need,” he said.
Upon completion of the funding assessments, universities will inform first-year students about the amount their parents need to pay. This year, the second cohort of students joining universities will also receive financial support under the Student-Centered Funding Model. Out of the 201,146 candidates who qualified for university entry in the 2023 KCSE, KUCCPS has placed 153,274 students in various degree programs.
In summary, students awaiting university admission are calling for a more efficient KUCCPS portal and quicker issuance of national identity cards. Meanwhile, the government is working to clarify the funding processes and alleviate parents’ concerns about university fees.
Pre-University Students Criticize KUCCPS ID Requirement.
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