The Ministry of Education has officially completed the 2024 university and college placement process, with 310,502 students placed in various institutions across the country, including universities, teacher training colleges, the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba, speaking at a media briefing, confirmed that the placement was conducted by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) in two phases. The first phase targeted March and May intakes for KMTC, national polytechnics, and TVETs, while the second focused on university and teacher college placements for the September intake.
Of the 965,501 candidates who sat the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, 244,563 attained a mean grade of C+ and above, qualifying for degree programmes. Another 706,148 qualified for TVET and diploma programmes. CS Ogamba assured that the total available opportunities, 986,137, were sufficient to accommodate all eligible candidates, including those from previous years.
Out of the 244,563 degree-qualified candidates, 201,695 applied for placement, with many opting for high-demand programmes. In the teacher education sector, revised entry requirements led to increased interest, with 20,786 applications for diploma courses against 13,823 slots, resulting in 11,636 successful placements.
At KMTC, interest was particularly high, with 52,725 qualified applicants competing for 34,048 slots. The Nursing programme alone attracted 27,000 applicants for just 2,986 available positions. Ultimately, 25,034 students were placed in KMTC, including 6,750 who attained C+ and above.
The CS highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to expand capacity, including the establishment of Kabarnet University College, Nyandarua University College, new KMTC campuses such as West Pokot, and teacher training colleges in Northern Kenya. These expansions are aligned with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) to build a skilled workforce in key sectors such as health, housing, agriculture, and the digital economy.
Ogamba also announced the inclusion of the Kenya School of Law’s Diploma in Law in this year’s placement cycle, with all 500 slots filled due to high demand.
To support access, he confirmed that Parliament has allocated Sh500 million for KMTC students to apply for financial aid through the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB). The Higher Education Fund application portal is now open to support students placed in universities and colleges, and other ministries are encouraged to allocate similar support for TVET learners.
“No student will be left behind. All will be supported to access quality education,” Ogamba affirmed, urging eligible students to take advantage of the ongoing KMTC and TVET applications.
Written By Rodney Mbua
