Quality of university education on spot

By Stephen Makabila

Private and public universities are once again on the spot over the quality of training. While the Commission for Higher Education Secretary and Chief Executive Office Everett Standa has directed all universities (whether public or private) to continuously review their training programmes to suit market demands, Higher Education Minister Margaret Kamar wants fresh vetting for private universities.

Speaking recently at Marist International University College during a cultural event, Standa said there is no reason employers should re-train graduates from institutions of higher learning. In most cases, he noted, re-training programmes are costly and a waste of time.

"CHE is concerned some employers are forced to retrain their employees. We want universities to continuously review their training programmes to meet changing job market needs," says Standa.

MIUC Principal, Bro Joe Udeajah said the institution had been reluctant to expand into other courses other than education and business in order to maintain quality.

"We have no plans of further diversification. We want to concentrate on these two fields to maintain high quality production of professionals," noted Udeajah.

MIUC was officially gazetted as a University College by the Government in September, but still remains a constituent college of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.

Earlier this year Standa called on universities to help the Government transform the country into an industrialised middle-income one in the next 20 years. He spoke when he opened the ninth exhibition by Kenyan universities in Kakamega in March. The event’s theme was ‘Aligning University Education with Kenya Vision 2030’.

"It’s our duty as major stakeholders in the education sector to re-align our programmes with expectations of Vision 2030," Standa had noted.

Quality in higher education is perceived as consisting of synthesis of conformity, adaptability and continuous improvement and is often defined as ‘fitness for purpose and ‘standard-based’. CHE applies both conceptualisations in its quality assurance processes.

The fact that CHE was, a week ago, awarded ISO certification, may be one of the key reasons why it is likely to further step-up its fight in ensuring quality training in universities and other institutions of higher learning. Among some of the major challenges facing universities in the country today, according to Standa, is inadequate qualified members of the academic staff.

Satisfactory training

It’s partly due to this shortage, according to some education experts, that has led to a situation where a single lecturer teaches in three to four universities on part-time basis.

Kamar, who was appointed to the Higher Education docket recently, however, feels public universities are offering satisfactory quality of training, and CHE should vet private universities, a move the National Association of Private Universities in Kenya has welcomed.

Napuk, which has 23 private universities as members and Simon Gicharu as its interim chairman, says they have no problem with vetting, because quality education is the hallmark of private universities.

However, it wants the vetting to be extended to public universities, to ensure there is no discrimination between private and public universities.

"We cannot survive as private universities unless the education we are offering is relevant and of high quality. We can only achieve this through quality control measures."

Same job market

Universities Academic Staff Union national chairman Sammy Kubasu backs Napuk’s demand for public universities to be vetted as well.

"There should be no discrimination. Both private and public universities should be vetted for quality assurance purposes because they churn out professionals for the same job market," said Kubasu.

Kubasu further argues vetting should be extended to university staffers starting with the vice-chancellors, noting some are in office out of political patronage.

It remains to be seen whether the Ministry of Higher Education would bow to pressure to vet public universities as well or only private universities would be targeted in the fresh vetting process directed by Kamar.