Kenyan universities have been left with over 42,000 unfilled slots after some candidates who sat the national exams last year failed to take up their admission offers.
The growing share of students snubbing university education is a departure from the past when degrees were viewed by many as a ticket for promotion at the workplace and getting a job, pushing the enrolment numbers to record high in recent years.
More than 42,000 candidates who qualified for university admission after the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) did not apply for placement through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
Data from the Ministry of Education reveals that only 201,695 out of 244,563 candidates who attained the minimum university entry grade of C+ and above submitted applications during the recently concluded placement cycle. This leaves out 42,868 eligible students—approximately 17 per cent—who failed to seek placement via the official platform.
This year, KUCCPS availed 986,137 placement slots, including 300,000 for university degree programmes approved by the Commission for University Education (CUE).
These were sufficient to accommodate all 2024 KCSE candidates, as well as those from previous years.
Out of the 965,501 candidates who sat the 2024 KCSE, 244,563 scored C+ and above, qualifying for university admission—while 706,148 became eligible for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes.
KUCCPS has so far placed 194,372 candidates into various degree and diploma programmes, accounting for 79.4 per cent of those who qualified with C+ and above. Among these, 162,152 were assigned to public universities, while 17,873 joined private institutions.
Additionally, 7,640 candidates who qualified for university chose TVET institutions instead, while 6,750 opted to join KMTC and teacher training colleges, indicating increased interest in the health and education sectors.
Speaking during the release of placement results at Jogoo House, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said: “I encourage those who have not applied to do so and apply for programmes in our universities including the Open University of Kenya and other tertiary institutions such as KMTC, whose intake is continuous.”
He was accompanied by Higher Education PS Beatrice Inyangala and Basic Education PS Julius Bitok.
Despite missing the initial cycle, unplaced candidates still have alternative routes to higher education.
Institutions such as the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) and various TVET colleges offer continuous admissions, with KUCCPS expected to open a second application window for the KMTC September intake.
Meanwhile, there has been an increasing trend where secondary students who qualify to join university to do degree courses are opting for diploma courses in Technical and Vocational Education and Training Institutions (TVETS).
This has coincided with the government’s increased focus on technical colleges in the quest to feed the labour market with craftsmen and technicians.
More students are preferring to join TVETs, a sign that the government’s efforts to grow enrolment in the institutions is bearing fruit.
In recent years, Kenya has witnessed a significant shift in its educational landscape. Traditionally, the country’s education system placed considerable emphasis on academic and university education, often at the expense of technical and vocational training.
However, a growing recognition of the importance of practical skills, particularly in driving economic growth and addressing youth unemployment, has led to a rising demand for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
This shift is poised to transform Kenya’s workforce, reduce youth unemployment, and position the country as a key player in the regional and global economy.
TVET programs, which focus on practical and hands-on learning in areas such as engineering, agriculture, information technology, hospitality, construction, and health sciences, are now seen as essential to the country’s growth strategy.
One of the main drivers of the shift towards TVET is the demand for a skilled workforce capable of meeting the needs of the growing economy. With sectors such as manufacturing, construction, ICT, and renewable energy expanding rapidly, there is a growing need for workers with specialized skills.
The government and private sector have recognized the value of equipping young people with the skills required to fill these gaps, and as a result, TVET institutions have become increasingly important.
