The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Prof. George Magoha, on February 2, 2021 appointed Mrs. Agnes Mercy Wahome as the Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (Kuccps) with effect from February 1, 2021. This followed a competitive recruitment process undertaken by the Board of the Placement Service in January, 2021.
Mrs. Wahome had initially been the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Placement Service since November 13, 2020 when former Chief Executive Officer John Muraguri proceeded on terminal leave ahead of retirement.
Mrs. Wahome joined the Placement Service in 2018 as the manager in charge of research and knowledge management, a new function that she was tasked with setting up to enable the Corporation to execute one of its core functions of collecting and retaining data relating to university and college placement.
After successfully setting up the Research and Knowledge Management Department, she took a lead in the publication of the Placement Service’s inaugural career guidance book ‘The Essential Career Guide’ meant to assist secondary school students in making informed career decisions.
Read also; KUCCPS website, portals and online services: 2021/2022 courses and placements complete guide
She has also been instrumental in coordinating and monitoring the implementation and reporting of the organisation’s Performance Contract and Strategic Plan.
She brings to the new role a wealth of experience garnered in over 27 years while serving in the public and private sectors, including local and international NGOs.
She has managed programmes for numerous international development organisations including USAID, Oxfam Netherlands (Novib), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Elton John Foundation. She has also served as a research consultant for Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (USA), ACF (France) and Pathfinder International.
An international scholar and researcher, she is an alumnus of the Dutch Embassy and Sweden’s government agency for development cooperation (SIDA) education scholarships.
Mrs. Wahome is a graduate of the University of Nairobi (Master of Arts in Medical Sociology and a BA in Sociology and Communication). She is also the first-ever PhD candidate in Health Communication at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
As the second Chief Executive Officer at the Placement Service, her immediate focus is to work with the Board to embark on the development of the second Strategic Plan for the organisation; revamp career guidance programmes and enhance partnerships for the same; review the placement criteria in consultation with stakeholders, and initiate preparations for the alignment of student placement with the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).
See also;
About KUCCPS
The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service is a state corporation established under the Universities Act No. 42 of 2012.
Its mandate is to coordinate the placement of Government sponsored students to universities and colleges; disseminate information on available programmes, their costs, and the areas of study prioritised by the Government; collect and retain data relating to university and college placement; advise the Government on university and college student placement; develop career guidance programmes for the benefit of students; and perform other functions assigned under the Act.
