Nakuru, Kenya: Egerton University has closed the engineering department and sent students home as the standoff between Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) and universities escalate.
A notice issued to students on Tuesday afternoon by the University’s Deputy Registrar (Academic Affairs) Professor Rose Mwonya, directed all students undertaking the engineering programmes to vacate the university by 2.30pm until further notice.
The notice also stated that students have boycotted classes since Thursday last week following non-accreditation of three programmes.
The board has declined to accredit the university to offer Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEEN), Industrial and Energy Engineering (IEEN) and Electrical and Control Engineering (ECEN) on grounds that they do not meet the requirements for accreditation.
"The senate has deliberated on the matter and decided that all students undertaking engineering programmes vacate the university until further notice," read part of the notice pinned in all notice boards at the Njoro campus.
Students who spoke to The Standard Tuesday accused the university management of being very slow in resolving the dispute yet they were suffering.
"This issue on accreditation has taken too long to be resolved and we deserve to know our fate sooner rather than later," said Peter Kariuki, a student.
A group of alumnus from the institution had filed a case in the High Court over the matter but they unfortunately lost to the EBK.
Recently, the management had acknowledged the effect that the said programmes had on the academic calendar and promised to fast track the registration process.
"The university is in the process of fast-tracking the registration but the students have remained adamant that they will not attend classes until the matter was fully addressed," read the notice.
Efforts to reach the Dean Faculty of Engineering and Technology Dr D.N Kamau Wednesday were futile as he neither responded to text messages nor pick calls.
EBK has declined to accredit a new list of 35 engineering courses submitted by universities for approval. Instead, the board stuck with a list of only 25 courses it approved in 2014.
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