A parliamentary committee has expressed its displeasure with the regulatory capabilities of the Commission for University Education (CUE), saying this could be contributing to the problems currently being witnessed in institutions of higher learning in Kenya.
The National Assembly Committee on Education on Thursday put to task CUE Chairman, Chacha Nyaigotti-Chacha, and Chief Executive, Mike Kuria, to explain the state of universities regulation, even as they accused the commission of losing its grip on overseeing the sector.
Some of the major issues raised by MPs included why the commission takes too long to accredit academic programmes - some taking up to 13 years - how the Commission deals with unaccredited institutions, the lecturer-to-student ratio, and the procedure for awarding honorary degrees, among others.
Committee Chairman, Julius Melly, expressed concern that CUE still seeks information from universities by writing letters in this digital era, instead of having a higher education management system that, at the touch of a button, should provide access to all relevant data on universities. "You mean you still write down letters?
