Ease varsity course choices
Students, teachers and parents of Butere Girls School in Kakamega celebrate on May 10, 2021 after posting good results in KCSE exams.
What you need to know:
- Some 67,790 students were selected to pursue degree programmes in the 31 public universities this year.
- Of last year’s 483,630 KCSE candidates, only 149,717 scored the university entry grade of C+.
The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) board adopted the final list generated after the first and second course revisions.
Some 67,790 students were selected to pursue degree programmes in the 31 public universities this year — an increase of 10, 500 from last year — as another 11,523 join the 50 middle-level colleges for diploma courses.
Of last year’s 483,630 KCSE candidates, only 149,717 scored the university entry grade of C+.
Medicine remained the most popular degree programme across universities, followed by dental science, engineering (civil and electrical), architecture, pharmacy and actuarial science.
The least popular were Bachelor of education (music) and Bachelor of Arts (music), as well as anthropology, ethno botany and BEd (Physical education).
Invest in sensitisation
But some students pick all competitive courses for their top three choices, ending up missing all even though they scored high marks. For that reason, let the government invest in sensitisation on available degree, diploma, craft and artisan programmes, career paths and its scholarship programme.
Secondary school students need guidance on subject selection. KUCCPS should guide them on degree and diploma courses and the scholarship procedure.
At one university, I discovered that inquiries mainly centre on subject clusters; students are not sensitised enough on subject combinations and required scores. The Ministry of Education should assist secondary school to hire trained career counsellors who should counsel the students constantly.
Counselling should begin in Form Three to answer queries such as the subject combination required for one to study a specific course and what courses a student with a certain grade can pursue. I have met many parents who don’t know where to turn for advice for their clueless children’s career choices. The best place should be the career counsellor’s office.
Ms Onjoro, a PhD student at Mount Kenya University, is an author and publisher. [email protected].
