This archive report was first published on 4 July 2021.
On June 23, 2021, Commission for University Education (CUE) Chief Executive Officer Prof Mwendwa Ntarangwi wrote to Vice-Chancellors and Principals, protesting non-compliance with a court ruling.
Despite a June 2020 court judgment reserving the responsibility for accrediting and approving university courses to CUE, professional bodies continue to push for approval, the regulator claims.
The Commission for University Education (CUE) has been at odds with professional bodies over the approval of academic programmes. In a June 2020 court ruling, the Court of Appeal judges Mohammed Warsame, Daniel Musinga, and Fatuma Sichale ruled that CUE is the only body mandated to regulate standards and accredit courses in consultation with individual universities.
Professional bodies, including the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board, the Kenya Pharmacy and Poison Board, the Nursing Council of Kenya, the Kenya Nutritionists and Dieticians Institute, and the Public Health Officers and Technicians Council, had challenged Section 5A of the Universities (Amendment) Act 2016, which empowers CUE to accredit, recognize, license, index students, and approve programmes offered in universities.
Prof Ntarangwi warned that courses already approved by professionals could be withdrawn and further applications declined, citing the court judgment issued on June 11, 2020, in NRB HC Petition No. 37, 49, and 106 of 2017.
He clarified that in cases where there's a conflict with the professional bodies, the provisions of the Universities Act prevail. Prof Ntarangwi said CUE has been working with some professional bodies to forge a common approach to accreditation and licensing of university education in universities.
