As concerns surrounding the accreditation of nursing programmes in Kenyan universities continue to arise, Garissa University is now under scrutiny for its decision to proceed with advertising a nursing intake for September 2025, despite the programme still lacking approval from the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK).
This comes just weeks after similar concerns were raised about Murang’a University and Kenya Methodist University (KeMU), where nursing students were left in limbo due to NCK delays in indexing and accreditation issues.
Garissa University has reportedly planned to recruit students for its nursing programme without meeting the essential requirements for accreditation.
The university lacks qualified lecturers to lead the School of Nursing, and there is no skills laboratory to provide students with the necessary practical training.
The university also reportedly has no technical staff to operate such facilities, casting further doubt on the ability of the programme to offer the quality education expected in the nursing field.
This move to proceed with student recruitment has alarmed both students and the public, as the university’s nursing programme remains unapproved and the infrastructure for proper training is not in place.
While Garissa University is reportedly set to seek NCK approval next week, many question whether the university can meet the stringent requirements in such a short period, especially with the academic year rapidly approaching.
“Hi Nyakundi. You recently aired the plight of nursing students from a university in Central Kenya, now in their third year, but still not indexed by the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK). Now, Garissa University appears to be heading in the same direction. They are preparing to advertise for a September intake for their nursing programme without NCK accreditation. The university has no lecturers to lead the School of Nursing, no skills laboratory, and no technical staff to operate such a facility. In a photo shared online, the Vice Chancellor was seen taking the area MP to plead their case, which many view as an inappropriate way of handling academic shortcomings. Reports indicate that Garissa University will be seeking NCK approval next week. Kindly tag and alert the Nursing Council of Kenya before another batch of students is misled,” a source informed us.
This situation is eerily similar to the ongoing plight of nursing students at various institutions across the country who have been reaching out in desperation to express their frustration with prolonged delays in accreditation, incomplete academic requirements, and the lack of clear communication from both university administrators and the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK), leaving many students unable to progress in their studies or secure vital internships, with some fearing that their years of hard work might be rendered useless due to the failure of their respective institutions to meet the necessary standards for recognition and licensure.
For instance, nursing students at Kenya Methodist University (KeMU), as highlighted in a post from March, are still grappling with a six-month delay in receiving their index numbers from the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK), preventing them from sitting for exams or securing internships.
Similarly, nursing students at Murang’a University, as reported on March 11, 2025, are struggling with the uncertainty of not having their programme approved by the NCK and facing further challenges, including the lack of essential training materials and indexing.
These delays and administrative failures continue to leave many students in limbo, unable to progress in their studies or plan for their professional futures.
The situation calls for immediate intervention from the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) to ensure that no more students are misled or placed in jeopardy due to unapproved programmes and inadequate training facilities.
The NCK must act swiftly to clarify Garissa University’s standing and prevent the recruitment of students into a programme that may ultimately fail to meet the required academic standards.
