Universities flouting admission rules, CUE report states

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i (right) and CUE Chairman Chacha Nyaigotti-Chacha at the KICD in Nairobi on February 16,2017. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • It also emerged that some universities were offering programmes that have not been approved by the commission.
  • Dr Matiang’i said the government will ensure that all the recommendations are fully implemented.

A report by the higher education regulator accuses universities of failing to adhere to admission criteria.

In the report, the Commission for University Education (CUE) observed that some students were securing entry to undergraduate programmes using pre-university and bridging courses, which are not recognised in law.

“In this respect, every university is expected to strictly adhere to the set standards and guidelines on admission criteria,” said the report that was released at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development and attended by Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.

It also revealed rampant abuse of the credit accumulation and transfer system.

It emerged too that some universities were offering programmes that have not been approved by the commission.

“The universities have been advised to ensure that all their programmes are approved by the Commission before being mounted, in line with the Universities (Amendment) Act,” recommends the report.

Speaking at the event, Dr Matiang’i said the government will ensure that all the recommendations are fully implemented.

“We are serious with these and we may recall some of the degrees awarded without following the right procedures and we will do so within the law,” said the CS.

The purpose of the quality audit was to establish the extent to which universities were complying with the Universities Act No. 42 of 2012.