CUE censures Daystar University over outdated courses

Daystar University. The Commission for University Education has ordered Daystar University to review its programmes regularly after a report found varsity has been teaching some outdated programs. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • CUE has directed the university to comply with universities standards and guidelines on full-time to part-time academic staff ratio.

  • The university is also on the spot for having a Bachelor of Law degree programme that has not been enrolled into.

The Commission for University Education (CUE) has censured the troubled Daystar University after an inspection report found varsity is plagued by outdated courses, poor governance and academic staff quality issues.

Subsequently, CUE has ordered the university to conduct regular review of its programmes as provided for in its curriculum review policy.

In the inspection report, CUE has also directed the university to comply with universities standards and guidelines on full-time to part-time academic staff ratio as well as adhere to policy on minimum number of students per class.

The university is also on the spot for having a Bachelor of Law degree programme that has not been enrolled into.

“Courses... not properly structured as at times some are not on offer, and students are at times required to undertake courses meant for upper years of their study and enrollment in some academic programmes has been declining,” states the CUE report.

The university has only one professor and nine associate professors but management has promised to improve on the issue.

The university is required to review its curriculum after every five years, but the report says there is no evidence for curriculum review for programmes accredited 23 years ago.

EQUIPMENT

The report also notes that Computer Science equipment have been outdated and slow, and that concerns raised by students are not responded to.

“The curriculum is also outdated as it is of year 2006, therefore not relevant to the market. The Communication and Performing Arts academic programme has inadequate and outdated facilities. Core courses books in the library are outdated. Teaching in music is very restricted as there are no adequate resources like music instruments. Music programme has manly part-time lecturers. There is no music studio and students are required to travel at their own cost to studios in Westlands,” notes the report.

GRADES

The university is also on the spot over the grading scale which the report says it is not clear since GPAs of 2.0 and 3.7 are indicated as average.

However, in their response the institution said it operates a GPA grading system on the scale of 4.0.

Other weaknesses that were identified by CUE include: lack of proper maintenance of accommodation facilities, failure of some programmes to expose students to research projects and attachment, inadequate medical services for students, and requiring students to pay for participation of activities that take place outside the university.

The report also points out shortcomings in other departments, citing nursing programmes where lecturers don’t attend practicums, as they are not provided with transport and the library is not adequately stocked for science students.

There are also repetitive or similar courses making workload unnecessarily heavy.

REFORMS

“A policy has been developed and it will be implemented from the next financial year that will require all deans to work fully from Athi River. Academic chairs will be added for each campus so that students have access to top management members every day,” said the university management.

It adds: The various governance organs should be well spelt out without any ambiguity to ensure separation of powers between governance organs and those whose relationship is oversight in nature.

“The university should align its governance structures in compliance with the Universities Act No. 42 of 2012 and the Universities Standards 2014,” recommends the report.

CUE wants the university to comply with building regulations and laws, and to formulate and implement maintenance policy and plan.

“The university should comply with the requirements on the seat of the university. In view of the stature of the Nairobi Campus in the university, the management should set up a suitable structure such as appointment of a campus leader to enable the top management of the university to operate fully from the seat of the university,” the report adds.

UNIVERSITY RESPONSE

On the issue of quality of staff, the university said: “Concern noted. The university utilises the Commission’s guidelines on recruitments and promotions (2015).”

The university added that all programmes are reviewed according to the University policy adding that computer science programme has had reviews within schedule and is currently undergoing further review.

“Law programme is yet to receive accreditation from Council for Legal Education. Although we have hired faculty and staff for this programme, we do not have students registered in this programme,” said the University in a response to CUE.

Daystar University response further states that: The current university’s strategic plan focuses on a five-year program review circle that addresses the age of the course, redundancies and repetitiveness, currency in the field and marketability.”

The university adds that it is making every effort to replace faculty in the nursing department that left through natural attrition.

“We have another 6 part time lecturers in the department per semester,” said the university in their respond.