While opening the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) application portal, Cabinet Secretary for Education Ezekiel Machogu noted that an increasing number of students were opting for diploma courses.
Despite qualifying for undergraduate courses, Machogu remarked that the students opted for diploma courses offered by Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
Kenyans.co.ke spoke to educational expert Dr Caroline Kokeyo on why students why increasingly shunning degrees for diploma courses.
Funding
Dr Kokeyo revealed that Former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration’s plan to sponsor TVET institutions was a game changer in the education ministry.
“Many students were enrolling for the degree courses allocated by KUCCPS since that was the only way they could access government funding.
“When TVET institutions started receiving funds from the government, many students were now able to pursue careers of their choice,” she explained.
Employability
Dr Kokeyo noted that with increasing unemployment rates in Kenya, students were now looking for courses that offered a more direct path to employment.
“Many diploma courses offered equip students with skills to venture into self-employment.
“For example, after two years taking Diploma in Electrical Engineering, someone can start their own venture while most degree courses take four years to complete and then you have to wait for formal employment,” she remarked.
Cost of Programmes
With the new funding model rolled out by President William Ruto, Dr Kokeyo explained that the number of students opting for diploma courses would increase.
“The new funding model will see a majority of C+ and above students miss out on government funding.
“This will mean that it would be cheaper for parents to enrol their kids for diploma courses instead of a degree,” Dr Kokeyo explained why the trend would continue.
A spot check by Kenyans.co.ke revealed that most diploma courses were charging a flat rate fee of Ksh67,000 per year while undergraduate courses varied in fee with some charging as much as Ksh612,000.
