CUE instructs JKUAT to review PHD awards

Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology (JKUAT) Kakamega campus. CUE has banned PhDs in such campuses. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

Commission for University Education (CUE) has banned admission and teaching of doctorate students in all Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology (JKUAT) campuses.

An audit report presented to Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha reveals that of the questionable 118 PhD awarded in July this year, 58 were taught in satellite campuses, which it says do not have the requisite human resource capacity.

Report finds that 58 of the 89 PhDs from the College of Human Resource Development, which constitute 65 per cement, were trained in the eight satellite campuses while the majority of qualified academic staff are based at the main campus.

Overall, of the 308 PhD awarded at JKUAT in the last three years, only 160 were trained at the Juja main campus. The remaining 148 PhD were from the nine campuses.

Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) campus graduated a total of 49 PhDs. Mombasa CBD campus graduated 23 while Nakuru campus had 20 in the last three years.

Nairobi Wetlands campus had 26; Kitale graduated eight as Karen campus had 11. Kakamega campus graduated four, Kisii campus had three and Kigali, Rwanda campus graduating four.

“The University should cease training PhD students in the satellite campuses for lack of adequate capacity and transfer them to the main campus in Juja,” reads the report.

Report says that sampled campuses revealed shocking staffing levels.

For instance, the report finds that JKUAT Mombasa Campus, just like the other campuses, does not have adequate full-time staff.

“The critical mass of the teaching staff (supervisors) are based in the Main Campus thus putting into question the quality of training of the majority of College of Human Resource Development PhD graduates trained in satellite Campuses,” reads the report.

Report finds that despite having inadequate staff, the key stages in the PhD training including coursework, progress seminars and proposal development take place in Campuses.

At JKUAT Mombasa campus, some 23 PhD students are enrolled in business administration yet the thematic leader is based in Juja campus and hence part time in Mombasa campus.

The case applies to areas of specialization in project management and supply chain management.

The campus also has some 224 students pursuing Masters programmes in various areas.

Broken down per programme, on business administration alone, the summary of academic staff of Mombasa campus reveals that it does not have any full time professors. Neither does it have even a part time professor. All the professors are listed as Thematic Leaders is based at the Main Campus in Juja on a fulltime basis.

The campus also does not have any associate professors full time or even in part time capacity.

The campus however has only one full time senior lecturer who is also the campus director. It also has one part time senior lecturer.

The campus has a total of 47 lecturers, of which only one is full time and doubles as Chair of Department

The remaining 46 are part time staff. Of these, 22 who constitute 47 per cent of the part-time lecturers are PhD holders, of whom a total of 11 are full-time academic staff in other universities.

“Five are full time at Technical University of Mombasa, three at Kenyatta University, two at Pwani University and one from Moi University,” reads the report.

Report says that 24 lecturers, who constitute 53 per cent of the Part-Time lecturers, are current PhD students of JKUAT Mombasa Campus.

The situation is worse in procurement, supply chain and logistics.

Under this department, there are no full time or part time professors, no associate professor or senior lecturer.

The department only has 10 part-time lecturers, of which only one has a PhD.

The report says the thematic leader of the department is a part time staff while seven Part-Time lecturers are continuing PhD Students of JKUAT Mombasa Campus.

The entrepreneurship, technology, leadership and management department also has only 10-part time lecturers.

The department does not have any full time or part time professors, no associate professor or senior lecturer.

Only one of the lecturers has a PhD while nine are part time lecturers are continuing PhD Students.

Eight of these are studying at JKUAT Mombasa Campus and one Technical University of Mombasa.