GOVT ISSUES STERN WARNING TO UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

The government of Kenya through Commission of University Education has issued a stern warning against unauthorised accreditation bodies who are fronting illegal courses.

This is after the secretary of CUE Mwenda Ntarangwi through a letter that was dated on 23rd June warned the bodies that is pushing for the illegal courses even after the court ruling which declared their demand illegal.

The CEO noted that some Universities had issued complaints that they are getting a lot of pressure from the illegal entities, therefore forcing the CUE to look for away forward.

“It has come to the knowledge of the commission that professional bodies continue to purport to accredit or approve academic programmes in universities.

“On a sad note, and despite court judgement, some professional bodies continue to engage universities with little regard, if any, to the commission. This is not only contemptuous but disregard to the sub-sector regulator,” Ndegwa noted.

Ntaragwi went ahead and ordered universities to withdraw courses that have already been approved and freeze any more approvals unless directed by CUE.

“Any university engaging anybody, as far as the accreditation, licensing and recognition of university education (including accreditation/approval of academic programmes) not within an agreed framework with the commission, the commission will decline to accredit/approve such programmes if the same is yet to be accredited/approved,” he added.

“We find no reason to suspend the commission’s mandate in regulating and accrediting courses as provided in the Universities Act. The application filed by the professional associations has no merit and we dismiss it accordingly,” ruled the bench.

The Court of Appeal, in June 2020, ruled that approving university courses was the mandate of the commission which was tasked with regulating standards and accrediting courses.