University Placement Put on Hold
The placement of candidates who took the 2022 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations into universities has been delayed due to the delay in submitting the report by the team formed to review the education system.
This has caused anxiety among the 173,345 students who qualified for university, as well as other students who are expecting to be placed in tertiary institutions. Traditionally, students in Kenya join universities and colleges in September, but there are fears that many will miss out on state sponsorship and that tuition fees will be increased.
Additionally, students need time to apply for funding from the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb). The placement of students is done by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (Kuccps), while those who opt for private institutions process their own admissions.
However, the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER) is seeking an extension of time to finalize its work, as its six-month term expired in March before it could conduct national validation on its recommendations. The PWPER had been tasked with reviewing the education system in Kenya, including both basic and tertiary education, with a focus on reforms.
A source within the PWPER stated that they had collected views from around the country and now need to go back to the people to confirm if their recommendations have been captured in the report. This is part of the public participation process, and without it, the validity of their work could be challenged in court.
The team is seeking a one and a half month extension so that they can submit the report before the end of the financial year in June. The validation process could involve a national conference where delegates review and vote on the recommendations.
The PWPER has already completed much of the work on basic and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), but the issue of university education remains a challenge.
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The source stated that since the introduction of the 8-4-4 system, which is the current education system in Kenya, reforms have largely focused on basic education, while universities have been overlooked. This underscores the need for comprehensive reforms in the higher education sector in Kenya.
In January, when Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu released the KCSE results, he directed Kuccps to quickly establish the number of available places in universities, colleges, and TVET institutions to facilitate the placement of learners.
The PWPER is hopeful that once they are granted the extension, President William Ruto will provide directions on some of their recommendations, so that the placement process can commence.
The PWPER had previously presented two interim reports to President Ruto, with the first report focusing on basic education and the second report touching on university education and TVET. However, the second report was not made public, and it is believed that the President was not convinced by some of the recommendations.
One of the eagerly awaited recommendations is on government sponsorship of students. President Ruto has hinted at the possibility of the government not funding all students who qualify for university education.
He has questioned why children who attend private schools and pay high fees should be eligible for government funding when they go to university, suggesting that parents who can afford to pay for their children’s education should do so.
This has raised concerns among students and parents about the accessibility of higher education for those who come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
The terms of reference for the PWPER also include reviewing and recommending legislation to facilitate the amalgamation of Helb, TVET, and university funding boards. This could have an impact on the number of students sponsored by the government, as it would be based on the availability of funds.
In recent years, the number of students qualifying for university has increased significantly, while funding from the government has remained relatively stagnant. This has resulted in universities accumulating significant debts, running into billions of shillings.
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University Placement Put on Hold
