The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has dismissed claims of system failure in its operations.
It has, however, assured that the ongoing application exercise is on track and proceeding smoothly.
In a statement, KUCCPS clarified that it was misleading and unfair to allege low turnout, noting that the exercise, targeting over 246,000 students, is still underway and set to conclude on April 30, 2025.
Speaking during a monitoring visit at Nyamache Sub-county, KUCCPS representative Prof. John Oluoch confirmed that the agency had adequately deployed personnel across the country to fast-track and support the application process.
Prof. Oluoch added that the KUCCPS portal was reopened on March 23, 2025, to allow new applicants and latecomers, who missed the initial and subsequent revision phases, to submit their applications to universities, colleges, TVETS, and teacher training colleges (TTCS).
Several students and parents interviewed expressed satisfaction with the process, citing improved access to Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) services, government scholarships, and university funding.
They credited this to the intervention of local education champion Dr. Siringi, a professional from the area.
Among those who spoke were Peter Nyaboga, a parent, and students Joash Machuka, Sheba Mogere, and Joyce Bosibori.
They petitioned the government to consider annual student induction programs to ease the transition into tertiary education.
However, some students admitted to facing initial challenges, including demands for unofficial payments to access assistance, while others were discouraged from applying altogether.