Disband universities' regulatory agency (CUE)

President Uhuru Kenyatta should consider disbanding the Commission for University Education (CUE) since it has completely neglected the spirit and letter of Universities Act 2012.

While the Act envisions a high level of professionalism in higher education, CUE has demonstrated the exact opposite.

Higher education in Kenya has deteriorated since 2012 to the extent that having a degree in Kenya has become like taking a soda in a roadside kiosk. Quality has been neglected by CUE and instead, they have introduced unwarranted and unconstitutional financial laws and policies that are seriously hurting universities.

CUE failure to rein in erratic propagation of university programmes in Kenya is a clear evidence of its ineptitude.

How can CUE Chairman Henry Thairu justify the over 400 per cent increase of accreditation cost without proper consultation with stakeholders? The Kenya Association of Private Universities has questioned CUE’s ability to effect unwarranted provisions without its being consulted.

CUE has also introduced a fee for every student in the disguise of quality assurance.

Every student will be charged between Sh1,000 and Sh2,000 for being a member of an institution. These monies will be paid directly by respective universities to the commission. This is nfair and retrogressive.

CUE has blatantly refused to consult private and public universities vice chancellors and proprietors in such major decisions that will definitely affect quality of higher education.

Experts in higher education in Kenya have warned that the new charges will lead to increased fees.

CUE is seriously understaffed: How can 50 staff at CUE manage over 66 universities in Kenya with over 200,000 students and 10,000 staff? CUE has demonstrated its ineptitude in conducting programme audits and accreditation.