The government through the Commission of University Education (CUE) has cautioned against illegal courses being fronted by unauthorised accreditation bodies.
In a letter dated June 23, 2021, CUE Secretary Mwenda Ntarangwi warned that the bodies were pushing for universities to accredit their courses despite a court ruling that declared the demands illegal.
Ntaragwi further noted that universities had complained about pressure from the illegal entities seeking a way forward in the matter.
“It has come to the knowledge of the commission that professional bodies continue to purport to accredit or approve academic programmes in universities.
“On a sad note, and despite court judgement, some professional bodies continue to engage universities with little regard, if any, to the commission. This is not only contemptuous but disregard to the sub-sector regulator,” read the letter in part.
Ntaragwi also directed universities to withdraw courses that have already been approved and freeze any more approvals unless directed by CUE.
“Any university engaging anybody, as far as the accreditation, licensing and recognition of university education (including accreditation/approval of academic programmes) not within an agreed framework with the commission, the commission will decline to accredit/approve such programmes if the same is yet to be accredited/approved,” he added.
The Court of Appeal, in June 2020, ruled that approving university courses was the mandate of the commission which was tasked with regulating standards and accrediting courses.
The commission was ordered to work in tandem with individual universities to achieve high-quality higher education.
"We find no reason to suspend the commission’s mandate in regulating and accrediting courses as provided in the Universities Act. The application filed by the professional associations has no merit and we dismiss it accordingly,” ruled the bench.
The warning comes even as Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) deadline for course selection approaches.
Some 43,000 students have until 3 p.m. on Monday, July 5, to select alternative courses after they missed slots in either of the courses they had applied.
Only 22,700 students from the lot had submitted their application according to KUCCPS.
