KUCCPS Gives Timeline For Opening Portal For Universities

Students hoping to join universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions (TVETs) will make their applications next week after the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) opens the portal

KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer Agnes Mercy Wahome made this announcement during a meeting with the registrars of all universities. The institutions are currently in a rush against time to provide data in compliance with the new funding model announced by President William Ruto last week.

During the Monday meeting, Dr. Wahome instructed the registrars to provide the cost of all their programs irrespective of whether the students are self-sponsored or government-sponsored.

“What’s the cost of your program? The many definitions [of students] as government-sponsored or self-sponsored cause complications. What does it cost to offer the service,” Dr Wahome said.

The meeting was followed another by the vice-chancellors on Sunday on the same matter. Dr Wahome told the registrars to only give the cost of the various programmes excluding the accommodation and meals costs.

Under the new model announced by Dr Ruto, there will be no block funding for students in universities but rather each student will be funded depending on the cost of the course they are undertaking and at a percentage to be determined by the government.

During the meeting with registrars, Dr. Wahome asked the institutions to only provide the actual cost of the first year of each program for purposes of admitting the 2022 candidates.

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Previously, universities have been funded through the Universities Funding using the differentiated unit cost (DUC) which was implemented in 2015. It provides the maximum cost of courses across all universities but this is bound to change under the new system as universities have varying costs.

Dr. Wahome said that the cost of programs in engineering and clinical medicine will likely vary over the years because of the internships that go with them. On Saturday, Dr. Wahome had written to universities asking them to provide the data by Tuesday indicating the cost per year.

“Kindly note that even though Kuccps will publish all programs, the government will only provide scholarships to students who select degree programs in public universities. Therefore, students who will select programs in private universities and Tvets, will not get government scholarships, and will only be eligible to apply for Helb loans.

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