- But he noted that an effective working relationship between the two sector players will be important in ensuring only valid certificates are used.
- It is recalled that CUE was on the spot during the August polls in terms of the verification of candidates.
Image: CHARLENE MALWA
The new Commission for University Education chief Mike Kuria has promised to work with university bosses to stem fake degree certificates.
Kuria said the working relationship between vice-chancellors and CUE should be mended.
He was speaking on October 11 when he officially took over from Mwenda Ntarangwi as the national regulator boss.
“When you call a vice chancellor from CUE, they immediately think they have committed a mistake,” Kuria said.
But he noted that an effective working relationship between the two sector players will be important in ensuring only valid certificates are used.
“These institutions will need careful monitoring, walking alongside them in the public,” he said.
This he said could be done by ensuring universities have a data system to keep records of students and their qualifications.
“In my tenure, we will work to ensure that this data becomes useful to us,” he said.
Kuria, who is also a former member of the Inter-Universities Council, said in case there is a need to verify, then the commission can just check.
“That means when universities train you, the next time we ask if your qualifications are valid then we can go back to your university, that information should be available,” he said.
For internationally acquired qualifications, Kuria said the regulator will work on a formula to accept or vet the certificates.
It is recalled that CUE was on the spot during the August polls in terms of the verification of candidates' qualifications.
“Despite the efforts made by the commission, it is sad to note that some universities are still running unaccredited programs,” Kuria said.
In June this year, CUE wrote to the electoral agency revoking Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja’s degree.
CUE said by the conclusion of investigations into the authenticity of the degree issued by Team University in Uganda, the governor aspirant had not submitted any proof.
CUE also wrote to Sakaja to provide the transcripts, examinations schedules, graduation booklet that has his name on it and receipts for application fee, tuition fees, graduation and convocation.
Sakaja failed to appear before Commission, claiming that he only heard CUE's invite through the media.
Kuria said the commission will work with other education regulators in other countries to avoid such incidences, like what happened to Sakaja.
“We need to meet with our neighbours so that we have better communication than we have right now and a working relationship with other countries,” he said.
However, the Kenya National Qualifications Authority is also working on the same process to accept qualifications acquired from IGAD countries.
KNQA Director General John Mukhwana said they will hold an education stakeholders conference bringing together leaders from the said countries.
Mukhwana and Abdi Kea, who is a principal education officer, will be part of the team to take part in the process.
Mukhwana said Kenya has set the pace for the other eight countries in the region in terms of development and implementation of national qualifications.
“Kenya is already mentoring Ethiopia and Uganda who are at the tail end of rolling out their national qualification frameworks. Other countries are making steady progress,” he said.
The member countries include Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda.
Earlier, Mukhwana said the regional framework will be a great advantage to member states.
The DG said the lack of a harmonised structure causes a toll on professional exposure to other countries.
“In some of these countries, it will take you up to six months for them to figure out what your qualification is,” he said.
In terms of data management, the Universities Funding Board is also in the process of implementing a similar system.
The system will help in identifying students in the college and those who either deferred or were discontinued.
The Universities Funding Board was mandated to provide a report on the progress of the system in April.
“UFB establishes and implements the university education data management information system to promote accountability and improve management of disbursed funds,” the report reads.
While submitting the budget policy statement to the National Assembly Education committee, UFB CEO Geoffrey Monari said the system will enable the government to properly fund institutions.
“We want to give proper figures on the kind of funding the government is giving each public university,” Monari said.
Apart from funding for primary and secondary school learners, Monari said the government also disburses capitation for university students.
According to a notice by CUE, 15 candidates were shortlisted from a list of 49 who submitted their applications.
Laban Peter Ayiro was shortlisted alongside Emily Achieng, Dismus Bulinda, Elizabeth Wangari, Everlyne Kisembe, Mike Kuria and Geoffrey Muluvi.
Others are Benedict Mwavu, Francis Gichuki, Grace Njoroge, Nathan Oyori, Maurice Oduor, Gilbert Opanga, Douglas Shitanda and Jackson Too.