For almost two weeks, Allan Ngure Wachiuri, 18, and his friends have been sleeping past midnight trying to crack the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) portal to apply for his course.
Even after paying Sh1,500 through e-Citizen, the former student of Shimo La Tewa High School in Mombasa County has not been able to apply for his preferred course — Water Engineering — at the Kenya Water Institute, Chuka University or Murang'a Technical University College.
“I am very frustrated. I have tried everything. I have turned my house into a cybercafe, all my my friends come here to try and apply for their preferred courses before the deadline. My friends are about to give up,” Allan said.
But for Elvis Walloga, 18, the situation is different. Since the portal opened in the first week of February, he has been trying hard to apply. And last Friday, he began applying at 10pm and succeeded at 3am.
“I was up most of the night before the application went through,” he said.
The former student of St Peter Mumias High School in Kakamega County then went to Huduma Centreat the KUCCPS department where he was cleared.
“My payment has been validated and sent to KUCCPS. I am now waiting for placement. I have been helping my friends apply courses. The best time to apply is after midnight,” said Elvis, who wants to study marine engineering, IT or forensic science at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Phoebe Akinyi, a parent, said she feels sad to see her son sleeping in the wee hours of the morning because of college application.
“He was told there was a jam during the day, so he spends his nights applying. Why can't the government make this easier for parents in rural areas? Is education meant for those in urban areas?” asked the mother of two.
“When I paid the required fee through the e-Citizen platform, I received messages that prompted me to pay again, so I've given up. The network is unreliable, I can't do anything,” she told the Nation.
KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer Dr Agnes Wahome has acknowledged the frustration parents and students are experiencing.
Dr Wahome has promised that the application deadline will be extended until the State is satisfied that no one is left behind. This will be the second extension.
The application deadline for placing students in universities and colleges was first extended to today.
Dr Wahome blamed e-Citizen for inconveniencing students, explaining that the payment verification process is longer than it used to be, which has significantly affected KUCCPS.
“We have done away with school applications, so everyone is a first time applicant. We are now on e-Citizen. The payment validation process is longer than it used to be, and that has impacted us significantly. The success of an application does not depend on the time of day,” Dr Wahome said.
In a statement, she said KUCCPS will have two revision exercises for those who have not applied or secured a course. The Technical and Vocational Education and Training has two other placements in the year. The Kenya Medical Training College’s other placement is in September.
KUCCPS opened the application for placement of students in colleges and universities on February 7, targeting applicants who sat the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exams and Form Four leavers from previous years up to 2000.
