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Tag: CUE

  • Why universities may be barred from offering certificate, diploma courses

    Why universities may be barred from offering certificate, diploma courses

    Universities will cease to offer certificates or diploma courses if a bill seeking to amend the Universities Act, 2012, becomes law.

    The Universities Amendment Bill 2023, currently in its second reading at the National Assembly, proposes that certificates and diploma courses be limited to Technical, Vocational Education and Training TVET Institutions to help increase enrolment in the tertiary institutions.

    “The principal object of this Bill is to amend the Universities Act, 2012, to end the practice of universities offering certificate and diploma courses. This is informed by the fact that currently there are two bodies certifying certificate and diploma courses, that is, the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority for technical and vocational colleges and the Commission for University Education for the universities. This leads to inconsistencies in the content and duration of the courses”, part of the Memorandum of Objects and Reasons reads.

    The bill states that universities are primarily institutions of higher learning and academic research and should therefore focus on degree and postgraduate programmes as opposed to certificate and diploma courses.

    According to the proposed amendment, technical and vocational education and training institutions have continued to record low enrolment despite significant government investment.

    The Bill argues that limiting universities to higher-level programmes would help strengthen enrolment in these institutions.

    Postgraduate studies

    Additionally, Clause 2 of the Bill proposes to amend section 5 of the Act to provide that the function of the Commission for University Education will be to recognise and equate postgraduate certificates and postgraduate diplomas conferred by foreign universities and institutions as opposed to basic certificates and diplomas.

    Clause 4 also proposes to amend section 20 of the Act to provide that universities may offer postgraduate certificate and postgraduate diploma courses and not basic certificate and diploma courses.

    Further, the clause provides for the saving of a student already undertaking a certificate or diploma course to enable such a student to complete his or her studies.

    Clause 5 of the Bill proposes to amend section 38 of the Act to provide that a chancellor of a university may only award postgraduate certificate and postgraduate diploma courses and not basic certificate and diploma courses.

    The Amendment Bill has elicited mixed reactions, with a section of lawmakers saying universities have infrastructural capacity and should be allowed to continue offering the courses.

  • CUE updates list of accredited degree programmes, universities

    CUE updates list of accredited degree programmes, universities

    Are you unsure which university offers your dream course?

    The Commission for University Education (CUE) has published an updated list of accredited institutions and academic programmes.

    With only 17 days remaining before the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) application deadline for university and college placement, CUE’s list will ease the verification process for students.

    It will also ensure the candidates who sat the 2024 KCSE make informed choices ahead of the April 21 deadline.

    Just last month, the commission warned students against enrolling in unapproved degree programmes while it flagged 15 universities for operating illegally in Kenya

    CUE, which is responsible for regulating and ensuring the quality of university education in Kenya, said degrees offered without approval will not be recognized for employment or further studies.

    Students can check the accreditation status of all institutions, academic programs on the commission’s website and official communication channels.

    The list of Approved academic programmes can be downloaded here.

  • Two arrested for offering degrees without accreditation

    Two arrested for offering degrees without accreditation

    Two individuals have been arrested for operating illegal institutions offering degrees without accreditation.

    The suspects, Moses Masiga, the Chancellor of North Western Christian University College linked to Power International Ministries University Inc., and his Vice Chancellor, Jackson Khayamba, were caught red-handed following a complaint from the Commission for University Education about illegal institutions offering degrees without accreditation.

    In a swift response, a team of detectives raided Wild Waters Nyali, halting a graduation ceremony just as unsuspecting “graduates” were about to receive their fake certificates.

    “The event was promptly declared a crime scene and brought to an abrupt halt”, said the DCI in a statement.

    At the scene, Detectives recovered counterfeit certificates, including 7 honorary doctorate degrees, 7 academic doctorate degrees, 20 master’s degrees, 65 bachelor’s degrees, 14 diplomas and 5 certificates, all intended for unsuspecting individuals eager to don caps and gowns.

    The arrested suspects are currently in custody, undergoing processing, and will be charged with the offence of offering degrees without accreditation from a foreign university, in violation of Section 28 of the University Act.