Supreme Court judge Isaac Lenaola has challenged universities and legal training institutions to rethink how they prepare future lawyers, warning that rapid changes in education and society demand urgent reforms in the structure of legal education.
“Universities and legal training institutions must rethink how they prepare future lawyers because rapid changes in education and society demand urgent reforms in the structure of legal education,” Justice Lenaola said.
Justice Lenaola said the transformation taking place in the education sector globally must be reflected in the way law is taught in Kenyan universities and professional institutions.
“The transformation taking place in the education sector globally must be reflected in the way law is taught in our universities and professional institutions,” he said.
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He noted that students who are progressing through the Competency-Based Curriculum from Grade One to secondary school are being trained to approach learning differently, raising concerns about whether universities and legal training institutions are ready to receive them without causing a culture shock.
“Students coming through the Competency-Based Curriculum are trained to approach learning differently, and we must ask ourselves whether our institutions are ready to receive them without causing culture shock,” Lenaola said.
According to the judge, the gap in training approaches has already been evident among many law graduates who experience difficulties when transitioning to the Kenya School of Law, where expectations and systems of learning often differ significantly from those at universities.
“Many students experience shock when they move from universities to the Kenya School of Law because the systems of learning and expectations differ significantly,” he added.
He spoke during the launch of a law school at Zetech University’s Technology Campus in Mang’u.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academic and Student Affairs at the university, Alice Njuguna, said the establishment of the law school marks a significant milestone as the institution seeks to contribute to the development of the legal profession.
“The establishment of the law school marks a significant milestone for the university as we seek to contribute to the development of the legal profession,” she said.
She said the university is committed to offering rigorous and relevant legal training that will equip students with the knowledge, ethical grounding and practical skills required in the modern legal environment.
“We are committed to offering rigorous and relevant legal training that will equip students with the knowledge, ethical grounding and practical skills required in the modern legal environment,” Njuguna added.
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Also speaking at the event, Jack Mwimali, Chief Executive Officer of the Council of Legal Education, said the accreditation of the Bachelor of Laws programme reflects the institution’s commitment to meeting the required standards in legal training.
“The accreditation of the Bachelor of Laws programme reflects the institution’s commitment to meeting the required standards in legal training,” Prof Mwimali said.
Prof Mwimali said the council remains committed to safeguarding the quality of legal education in the country while supporting institutions that demonstrate readiness to offer credible programmes.
“The Council of Legal Education remains committed to safeguarding the quality of legal education while supporting institutions that demonstrate readiness to offer credible programmes,” he said.
By John Kamau
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