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A record five year stretch by Juja based Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (Jkuat) as an academic choice destination has been confirmed by the number of students picked to join the institutions this academic year.

A total of 6,917 students have been placed to pursue different degree programmes Jkuat beginning this month.

It has in the last five years become the most preferred public university; admitting the highest number of government-sponsored students.

The combination of academic excellence, industry relevance, research and innovation focus, modern infrastructure, entrepreneurship support, strong alumni network, and strong internationalisation bid continue to set Jkuat apart.

The placement by Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) marks a seven percent increase in the number of students who picked Jkuat as their academic choice destination compared to the 2022 placement.

All the 173,345 who scored C+ and above in last year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination have been assured admission to public universities.

The Kenya Universities and College Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) Chief Executive Officer Dr Agnes Wahome said there is enough space for everyone who passed KCSE. “I know there are a lot of concerns about whether we have enough space for students who qualified to join universities.

No student will be locked out and there should be no cause for alarm,” she said at Kangaru Boys High School in Embu county during a mentorship conference for youths from the region.
“We have the capacity to admit all those who met the university entry points, they should start submitting their applications,” she added.

However, Dr Wahome asked the candidates who don’t want to join universities to enroll in technical colleges and register for diploma courses.

“We have so many colleges where the students pursue courses which can help them realise their dreams,” she said.
Commenting on the placements, Vice Chancellor, Prof Victoria Wambui Ngumi noted that the students had made the right choice adding that the university had engaged the best faculty, hands-on and industry-backed training to ensure the students’ academic success.

“Involving the industry in mounting our academic and research programmes has resulted in the production of quality and entrepreneurial graduates as well as research and innovation products that meet the needs of society,” Prof. Ngumi said.

The new students are the first to be placed under the new policy framework underpinning university education funding by the government.