Uhuru calls for diversity in varsities to better sector
President Uhuru Kenyatta delivers his address during the 8th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in Gujarat, India, on January 10, 2017. He wants universities to kick out tribalism. PHOTO | PSCU
What you need to know:
- President Kenyatta said higher learning institutions should make efforts to sensitise all the stakeholders on the merits of welcoming people from other tribes.
- He added that appointment of academic and other staff must be done on merit.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed the Ministry of Education to ensure that universities embrace diversity by abandoning ethnicity so as to improve the industry.
In a letter to the Higher Education Principal Secretary Collete Suda last month through the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, Mr Joseph Kinyua, President Kenyatta said higher learning institutions should make efforts to sensitise all the stakeholders on the merits of welcoming people from other tribes.
“All the universities should undertake proactive measures to de-ethnicize the academic, non-academic staff and student complements and embrace diversity,” the letter reads.
Further, Mr Kenyatta told managers of universities to promote the quality and integrity of examinations and dissertations.
He added that appointment of academic and other staff must be done on merit.
“The ministry should develop and implement comprehensive criteria to ensure all those admitted to the institutions of higher learning meet the established minimum qualifications for entry and undertake the set teaching hours to attain certificates before graduation,” he added.
He also asked the universities to ensure that their approved curriculum meet the specific needs of the employment market.
