Report shows students graduating in non-accredited courses

A recent audit report exposed universities offering unaccredited programmes that left graduates holding degrees that are unrecognised in their respective industries.

The report by the Commission for University Education (CUE) indicated, for instance, that at the time of the survey, Moi University had 41 unaccredited programmes while Maseno University had 11.

Technical University of Mombasa had 18 unaccredited programmes while Great Lakes University had 20.

“These programmes had not been approved by CUE and there was no evidence of senate approval while the programmes were on offer,” it says.

Even more disturbing was that students had graduated in these unaccredited courses.

The report also found that four universities had mounted approved programmes that did not have any students.

The University of Eldoret had 12 programmes without students, Murang’a University had 45, Machakos University had 10 while Strathmore University had one.

The CUE report also indicated that all online programmes offered by Kabarak University, Maseno University and Daystar University were not accredited.

Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed instructed the universities to correct the faults exposed by the audit. She warned that failure to comply would result in censure, including withdrawing their charters.

Quality education

The CS said the audit revealed both strengths and weaknesses of universities and colleges in their quest to guarantee high-quality education.

“The Government is keen on enhancing the quality of learning in our public universities. I urge all universities to fully embrace the spirit of reforms and to continually review programmes for us to achieve high standards of teaching and learning,” said Amina.

The report showed that academic programmes in 19 universities were at different levels of approval. It was also revealed that some programmes accredited during the award of charters were not developed using the proper format.

Kisii University had 37 accredited programmes that did not follow the CUE format while Laikipia University programmes were inherited from Egerton University and, therefore, did not undergo any curriculum review.

The report also said some universities were offering programmes whose titles were slightly different from what had been approved. Uzima University College, which had been approved to offer Bachelor of Clinical Medicine, was instead offering Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery.

Moi, Laikipia, Daystar and the University of Eldoret were also found to lack adequate or relevant facilities for some of the programmes on offer.