Parents in Kisii County have raised concern after it emerged that nearly 56,000 students who attained Grade C+ and above in the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations failed to apply for university placement through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
The issue emerged during a KUCCPS sensitisation forum held at Nyamache Social Hall in Bobasi Constituency, where parents and education stakeholders blamed economic hardship for locking many qualified learners out of higher education.
Parents who spoke to Education News said the rising cost of living has made it difficult for families to support university education despite students qualifying for Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) funding.
Many cited the soaring prices of food, transport, and other household expenses as major barriers, saying that attaining the minimum university entry grade no longer guarantees access to higher education.
KUCCPS Director of Placement and Career Development John Oluoch acknowledged the challenge during the forum, noting that while some students traditionally delay applications until the final days, this year’s low application numbers have largely been worsened by financial difficulties.
Oluoch urged parents and students to take advantage of available funding opportunities, including HELB loans and government scholarships, and encouraged early application to avoid missing placement opportunities.
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Education expert and Kisii University lecturer Dr. Erick Onsongo attributed the trend partly to a growing preference for technical and vocational institutions over universities. According to Onsongo, many parents and learners believe technical colleges offer quicker access to employment through practical skills training, unlike universities where graduates often face stiff competition in the job market.
He further noted that the large number of students who qualified for university admission in 2025 has intensified competition for the limited vacancies available in public universities.
Onsongo also suggested that some students may be reluctant to join universities because they doubt their ability to cope with academic demands, especially those who may feel they benefited from irregular assistance during examinations.
Additionally, he pointed to inadequate career guidance as a contributing factor, saying many students are opting for middle-level colleges or informal income-generating activities such as boda boda business due to limited awareness of long-term career opportunities.
Dr. Onsongo and fellow academic Dr. Nyamwange have now called on the Ministry of Education to reform the university education system. The scholars argued that universities should concentrate on producing managers and researchers, while technical institutions take the lead in training practical, job-ready professionals.
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The two also appealed to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to establish a commission of inquiry into the growing number of university-qualified students opting out of degree programmes in favour of middle-level colleges.
According to the scholars, such an inquiry would help reshape university curricula and address the growing number of graduates entering an already saturated job market with limited employment opportunities.
National statistics mirror the situation being experienced in Kisii County. Of the 270,715 students who qualified for university admission in 2025, only 182,241 secured placement into degree programmes for the 2025/2026 academic cycle.
Meanwhile, 105,757 students opted to join TVET institutions, KMTC, and teacher training colleges.
KUCCPS has announced plans to return to Kisii County in June for further sensitisation campaigns focusing on TVET and KMTC pathways, as the county education office compiles data on affected students for possible intervention by the Ministry of Education.
By Enock Okong’o
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