The Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER) wants all universities barred from teaching diploma and certificate courses.
The proposal, which if passed by Parliament and assented to by the President, will amend the Universities Act Section 20 (1) (e) limiting the academic certifications to be offered and awarded in middle level colleges only.
The bid was floated during a meeting held by education stakeholders at the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMSATEA) on June 6, 2023.
The matter has been adjudicated twice in Court when a first attempt in 2015 by the Kenya National Association of Private Colleges (KENAPCO) failed after they moved to the High Court claiming that their institutions were the only ones licensed to offer diplomas, certificates and bridging courses under the Technical and Vocational Training Authority (TIVETA) Act.
A second case was filed by Robinson Kioko in 2021 asking the High Court to declare the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendment) Act 8 of 2014 as unconstitutional; which flopped.
If implemented, colleges will reap big from the increased number of students but will be a big blow to universities.
By Thuita Jaswant
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