Stop harassing universities, Matiang'i tells professional bodies

Education Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiangi during the Kenya National Qualifications Authority's Stakeholders conferance at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) Nairobi. Photo/Elvis Ogina (Nairobi) May 9th,2017

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has cautioned professional bodies against creating chaos in universities by inciting students over programmes' accreditation.

He said the insistence by the agencies that they would not recognise certain degree certificate holders has created anarchy that should not be tolerated.

Dr Matiang'i said Commission for UniversityEducation (CUE) is the sole programmes accreditation body and asked the professional institutions to work with it.

"It is immoral for a professional body to walk into a university and start to harass the institutions over programmes accreditation. We have a regulator. Write to them and officially complain to them," said Matiang'i.

He said professional bodies are important players who must also act professionally.

He said it true that professionals such as lawyers and doctors know what a good lawyer or doctor must have, but complained over the crude methods the bodies use to demand professionalism.

 Turf wars

"What is so difficult in writing to CUE detailing a list of requirements for graduates of certain programmes and allowing CUE to take it up with the respective institutions?" posed Matiang'i.

"Regulators should submit their wants, needs, requirements and expectations to CUE and let them deal with it."

He said there many professional bodies have been harassing universities over accreditation.

"So we have all sorts of professional bodies. When will we deal with these anarchy created by turf wars that don't help anyone," said Matiang'i

There are about 17 professional bodies in Kenya.

He said court battles hurt the affected students, with many parents left hopeless and students' lives wasted.

"Does anyone think of the children we are hurting? The judge does not have a national qualifications framework. Chances are they have never heard about it. And in most cases they tell you to stop teaching these programmes," said Matiang'i.