By Bob Aston
The Ng’arua Maarifa Centre has proved
to be useful to last year Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)
candidates. The candidates have been rushing to the Maarifa Centre to check
their university application status as well as to download admission letters.
The internet is becoming an
increasingly important medium as people are turning to it to access information.
With internet access being a problem in Sipili as there is only one cybercafé
in the area that charges Ksh 2 per minute, the Maarifa Centre has enabled
students to have free internet access.
Students accessing internet at the Maarifa Centre |
Over 72,000 candidates who sat for
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in 2013 have been selected to
join various public universities and colleges.
According to the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central
Placement Service (KUCCPS), 56,937 students have been placed in public
universities while the Government will also sponsor 15,393 candidates to pursue
various diploma courses in middle level colleges across the country.
Charles Wahome, 18, a resident of
Ndaragwiti managed to get an A- grade at Ndururumo High School in KCSE
examination. He has been frequenting the Maarifa Centre since KCSE results were
announced to use the internet to seek for university placement.
During one of his visits he reviewed
one of his courses and decided to apply for Bachelor of Science in Civil
Engineering at Machakos University College. He was later on informed that he
had been accepted at Machakos University College.
“I always wanted to do civil
engineering since I was young. When I was reviewing my course I decided to
apply for civil engineering. Later on I was informed that I had been accepted
at Machakos University College and that I should go to a cyber to print the
form,” said Charles.
On Thursday he was all smiles as a
Maarifa staff member assisted him to access his account in KUCCPS portal where
he managed to download and print his admission letter. He is now waiting to
join the university on 3rd September 2014.
Community members accessing internet at the Maarifa Centre |
Similarly, Nahashon Njuguna, 18,
could not hide his joy as he held his admission letter after he had been
assisted to download and print the form. He said that accessing internet
services in Sipili is a problem but thanks to Arid Lands Information Network
(ALIN) this is no longer a problem.
He has been travelling from Kio area,
a distance of close to five (5) kilometers to access internet at the Maarifa
Centre. Nahashon is set to study Bachelor of Education (Arts)-Business studies
at Moi University. He got a B plain grade in KCSE examination at Lariak Day
Secondary School. He is now set to report at the university on 22nd
September 2014.
“I managed to download and print the
admission form at the Maarifa Centre. Today they have assisted me to open a KRA
pin and also to apply for HELB. I have not even been charged a shilling at the
Maarifa Centre,” said Nahashon.
On his part, Fred Njuguna, 19, was at
the Maarifa Centre to confirm his reporting date at the University. He is set
to study Bachelor of Agribusiness at Maseno University. Fred who scored a B+ at Mary Mother of Grace Boys Secondary School has always been passionate
about agriculture. He expects to teach the community about Kilimo Biashara once
he graduates.
He has already started applying for Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) loan after
acquiring KRA pin. Fred has been helping his parents in their farm but he now
expects that the knowledge that he is going to gain at the University will be
useful as his parents will now start practicing agriculture as a business.
KUCCPS
which replaced the Joint Admissions Board (JAB) has lowered the minimum
university entry requirement to B- (Minus) of 58 points for female students and
grade B of 60 points for male students. Candidates with grade C- (minus) were
also eligible for diploma programmes.
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