Members of Parliament now want the Kenya Universities and Colleges Placement Service to furnish it with a list of universities owing them about Sh500 million in placement fees.
The National Assembly’s Education Committee issued the directive after it emerged that a number of varsities are not honouring the one-off Sh1,500 payment for each student placed in their institutions.
Committee chairperson and Tinderet MP Julius Melly termed the move irregular, wondering why universities are finding it hard to remit the fee even after receiving the learners.
“Which universities owe you and how much? You have placed students so why do they owe you? When universities ask for money, it shows that students are already in, which is criminal,” he said.
Melly added that one of the key functions of KUCCPS is administrative to let the government know where students are placed, an authority granted to them, and universities are supposed to pay for that fee.
Appearing before the committee, KUCCPS chief executive Dr Mercy Wahome told the committee that universities say some students did not report even though the numbers are always higher when they are seeking funding from the Universities Fund.
She said this year, the placement agency was forced to withhold the placement list from universities until they make a commitment to honour their obligations.
“This year we were strict on them. Students got the messages of institutions they were placed in but the universities did not get the list until they paid the commitment fee they have charged students, so it’s just remitting it,” Wahome told the House team.
She further explained that the board is introducing a debt policy where varsities commit on the payment plan.
“They are now gradually honouring their commitment,” she told MPs.
She was before the committee to explain KUCCPS’ 2025-26 financial year budget implementation status.
Baringo North MP Joseph Makilap told the agency to consider deducting upfront the fee whenever the students join the institutions of higher learning.
“Once you get to the university, there should be a way that the Sh1,500 is remitted. It can be deducted upfront when joining universities,” he suggested.
KUCCPS also told the committee that it has capacity to help in the placement of learners from junior to senior schools.
KUCCPS’ current mandate covers only universities and colleges.
“KUCCPS has the expertise. The placement system we use has been developed internally and currently, we can count the capacities for every university based on the recommendations by the Commissioner for University Education,” Wahome said.
“So, if the capacities are approved, we will count them as our students. The same concept would be used for the senior and junior schools. If called upon, I believe we can support.”
Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Gisairo had earlier wondered why the ministry could not use the KUCCPS system to assist in placing junior secondary students.
