Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has ordered the Commission for University Education to investigate allegations that some politicians enrolled in universities without meeting admission requirements.
Dr Matiang’i said the government would live up to its word and the requirements of the law.
“Any university that may have admitted unqualified persons and cannot demonstrate that such persons actually met university certification or degree attainment criteria should face regulatory penalty, which may include being stripped of its charter,” warned the CS.
He also directed universities to pay more attention to assuring the integrity and quality of examinations.
“The era of missing marks, students progressing to the next level without knowing how they performed in the previous year, and even consultants writing thesis for postgraduate students is over,” he said on Friday when he presided over a graduation ceremony at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology.
MEET MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Dr Matiang’i asked the universities to look at ways of producing globally competitive graduates.
“Universities must ensure that all students enrolled in their programmes meet the minimum requirements. We have to uphold the integrity of the Kenyan education system,” said the CS.
He added that the government would strengthen the role of the CUE to carry out oversight and regulatory functions in a more prudent and systematic way.
“To avert the emerging incompetence crisis of frustrations for students and parents on poor record keeping at our universities, I ask all universities in Kenya to embrace technology and ensure that all students’ grades on a year to year basis are availed to them,” said the CS.
He added that CUE will conduct an audit of electronic record keeping systems in all universities by March next year and file a report with the Ministry on the same.
“Any universities that do not meet these standards should face severe regulatory penalty,” he warned.
The CS said the government has set up, a public private partnership unit in the National Treasury to help develop infrastructure and other similar projects in Kenya.
“Our universities have a lot of land that is lying idle. Universities should carefully, but prudently engage with the private sector in order to develop and invest in student hostels, student centers, sports facilities that will improve infrastructure at universities and make them globally competitive,” he added.
The CS added that his ministry will work with universities that have well thought out ideas that help the country move in this direction.
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