Kuccps 2021 placement: Thousands of 2020 KCSE candidates could miss out on the KUCCPS 2021 placement Vacancies, find out why
Kuccps 2021 placement deadline, results: CS Magoha Issues a Crucial Directive for the KCSE Candidates
Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha has issued a crucial directive to heads of schools to ensure that all candidates sitting for the .,.March/April Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, KCSE examinations have their applications for admission to Universities or Colleges completed within the stipulated time frame.
CS Magoha further expressed concern that some candidates could miss out on their preferred university courses if they failed to submit their applications to the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) through its official online portal.
To access and register for KUCCPS 2021 placement, click on the following link
KUCCPS 2021 Placement for 2020 KCSE candidates
Teachers to be held responsible for candidates who miss out on KUCCPS 2021 Vacancies
“It is the teachers’ responsibility to ensure that Form Four candidates are registered in the KUCCPS online portal for universities and colleges placement,” Magoha stated.
KUCCPS 2021 Placement Deadline
The applications will be closed on 31st March 2021 with school principals tasked with creating an account for students’ placement to universities or colleges.
KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer Agnes Wahome noted that with the national examinations set to commence on March 26, the window was quickly coming to a close expressing concern that many candidates could be locked out.
“Some students head home after completing their KCSE examinations without selecting any course and this limits their choice when the portal opens for a first and second revision,” she explained.
KUCCPS is the body charged with placing students in public universities once the KCSE results are released.
The cost of application at the school level is Ksh500, but the cost goes up to Ksh1,500 when submitting choices during the revision stage.
Over the last three years, however, KUCCPS data has revealed that 1.6 million KCSE candidates did not have their applications submitted with headteachers only submitting applications for 241,315 candidates across the country.
In 2020, the KUCCPS placement board made a resolution that all 2019 candidates who scored a grade of C+ and above could apply for universities as well as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY APPLY FOR YOUR KUCCPS 2021 COURSE CHOICES (IMPORTANT FACTORS)
1. CLUSTER POINTS
Unlike in the past whereby KCSE candidates who had attained the minimum entry requirements to universities and colleges were forced to calculate their cluster points manually, the KUCCPS system is automated to calculate every KCSE candidate’s cluster points for all available programmes/ courses.
Cluster points definition
What is a cluster point?
The term cluster points refer to a tabulated figure usually acquired by calculating the number of points for four basic subjects that have to be considered for every course choice. The four subjects are considered to be the most relevant to your preferred course/ programme.
For example, a student wishing to pursue a degree in Nursing must attain certain points in Mathematics, Biology, English and Chemistry. These four are also referred to as core cluster subjects.
During the revision of KUCCPS choices, KUCCPS provides cluster subjects for every course/ choice which differs from one university to the other.
HOW to calculate your weighted cluster points
To successfully calculate your weighted cluster points, you need the following: Aggregate points as provided in your KNEC result slip or certificate and your raw cluster points.
What are the raw cluster points?
The term raw cluster points for your KUCCPS course selection refers to the total number of points obtained by adding the points for the four core subjects. The maximum number of raw cluster points for any candidate is 48, assuming that the candidate scored straight As in all the four core subjects i.e. (12x 4)
Aggregate points, on the other hand, refers to the total number of points attained by the student as indicated in the KNEC result slip or certificate.
The next step is for you to use the formula provided by KUCCPS to obtain your weighted mean for every KUCCPS course choice.
Therefore, it is advisable that you select a KUCCPS course/ programme in a university whose cut off cluster weight/ point is equivalent or slightly lower than yours.
The cluster weight for all 2021 KUCCPS choices/ programmes have been calculated already by KUCCPS. You can, therefore, access them especially now that the KUCCPS portal is open for the first revision of courses by logging onto the official KUCCPS portal using the link provided below
https://students.kuccps.net/login/
2. Subject Requirements
The second factor that you should take into consideration before applying for KUCCPS placement is whether you have attained the minimum subject requirements for your preferred KUCCPS choice.
Students wishing to pursue KUCCPS programmes in Education, for instance, have to specialize in two main subjects. Such students are expected to score at least a C+ plus and above in the two areas of specialization, for example, Mathematics and Chemistry or Kiswahili and CRE.
3. Available KUCCPS slots
Do not go for a KUCCPS course that is already overpopulated. If you select a programme which is likely to attract many students, you are likely to miss a slot either in your university of choice or the course itself since KUCCPS will select candidates with the highest cluster points.
The saddest part of it all is that if you miss out on your preferred KUCCPS 2021 programme then KUCCPS will be at liberty to place you in any other available programme even if you are overqualified for it.
4. Preferred university or college and competitiveness
There is a saying that does rounds on social media about “The University of Nairobi” versus other universities.
It insinuates that not all universities are equal. In other words, universities are equal but others like The University of Nairobi are more equal than others. This is because they are located in the Capital City. Anyway, which student would like to go for “bush” universities leave alone “bush” schools?
Therefore, picking a KUCCPS programme being offered by the University of Nairobi and other more equal universities such as Kenyatta University and JKUAT may put you at risk of losing out on a chance to undertake the programme at all especially if your weighted cluster point equivalent to the university’s cut off.
It is therefore advisable that you critically analyze the general performance of all KCSE candidates that particular year before applying for highly competitive choices and universities.
All the best in your pursuits
