The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) placed 74,046 students into the 33 public universities, an increase from the 68,000 admitted last year.
The board also placed another 12,038 in colleges for diploma courses. Of those selected, there were 6,314 male students, representing 57.39 per cent. Apart from gender, the selection also considered affirmative action based on minorities and people with disabilities.
“Stakeholders will meet on Friday (today) to receive the report,” said KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer John Muraguri. Moi University has admitted the highest number at 5,834, followed by Kenyatta University with 5, 668, which is above its capacity of 5,598.
The University of Nairobi will admit 5,275 students. According to figures from Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, the number of candidates who attained the minimum university entry grade this year shot up to 165,766 from 149,717.
However, as 86,000 students were being absorbed into public colleges and universities, another 79,000 who met the minimum entry requirements were locked out. However, KUCCPS did not pick government-sponsored students to join private universities as representatives of the sector had asked.