Students asked to apply after KUCCPS open portal for college students

Students who sat for Kenya Certificate for Secondary Education twelve years ago have another chance to apply for courses and placement to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.

The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has opened the online application again to allow the students to apply.

This to ensure that there is enough human capital for local jobs as well as the international market.

The application which runs from December 20, 2023 will take two weeks until January 2, next year when a successful applicant will be identified.

‘‘Any Form Four leaver with KCSE examination certificates from the year 2000 to 2022 and has not been placed by KUCCPS before is eligible,’’ stated the communication.

KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer Dr Mercy Wahome urged learners to cease the opportunity and enroll for different courses.

‘‘We encourage all form four leavers and other youth who qualify for TVET courses and have not yet applied to take advantage of the second application exercise,’’ Dr Wahome said.

The agency has also opened another window on application for admission to the Open University of Kenya which offers specialised training, Diploma courses, Undergraduate programmes, Masters programmes, and PhDs.

‘‘This is due to the uniqueness of the Open University’s mode of learning and flexible modular programme design that will allow students to study at their own pace and convenience,’’ she stated.

According to KUCCPS, this application should be submitted through the KUCCPS Student’s Portal students.kuccps.net.

However, KUCCPS clarified that the opportunity does not apply for those students who sat for the examination this year but rather to those who have never applied to pursue courses in institutions of higher learning. .

This comes even as the Principal Secretary for TVET Dr Esther Muoria urges students to enroll for the skilling so that they can take up available job opportunities in the gulf countries.

‘‘I encourage TVET graduates to take advantage of the international job offers for skilled workers organized through Government placement for credibility,’’ Dr Muoria said.

Speaking after a virtual interaction with TVET graduates who are placed in various industries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as skilled workers, the PS said their testimonies of the working experience in KSA is heartening.

‘‘They are working for 8 hours a day, paid for any overtime and are competitively remunerated. These graduates are accorded the opportunity to continually sharpen their skills through work experience,’’ she stated.

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting all students placed in universities and colleges for equitably.

The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), the Universities Fund (UF) and the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) said according to the New Funding Model for Higher Education in the country that there is adequate budget. 

HELB Chief Executive Officer Charles Ringera earlier said the funding would ensure equity on a need assessment basis using the Means Testing Instrument.