The government will change how students are admitted into public and private universities if a state sponsored bill becomes law.
According to a new proposal, the Universities (Amendment) Bill 2015 moved by Majority Leader Aden Duale, varsities will be tasked with selecting their own students rather than the traditional norm, where they received students through a single agency.
“The admission and placement of students to universities or colleges shall vest in the respective universities or colleges,” reads the Bill.
If the Bill is enacted into law, varsities will have their own admission body - Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) - which will be reduced to developing career guidance programmes for the benefit of the higher institutions of learning and students.
Currently, KUCCPS is the agency tasked with selecting students joining various tertiary learning institutions owned by the government.
In 2014, the agency replaced the Joint Admission Board (JAB), which was admitting students to public universities, after an amendment was made.
Meanwhile, education analysts have warned that the proposal could be a potential breeding ground for corruption and low quality education.
According to an analyst who spoke to Business Daily, allowing universities to admit students could create a fertile ground for corruption and interference by politicians and top government officials, seeking space in top institutions and popular courses like medicine, architecture, engineering, computer science and actuarial science.
