The Ministry of Education has announced plans to eliminate diploma and certificate courses in public universities.
Under the new arrangement, the programmes will be reserved for colleges and TVETs.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu spoke on Friday at the Kenya Institute of Special Education during a stakeholders engagement forum.
He said universities offer “anything and everything” in terms of courses instead of specialising.
“We are saying now a university does not need to go down that road. You have to have a niche. An area that you are also known for,” the CS said.
Machogu noted that at one time, Egerton University was popularly known for offering agricultural, livestock, and veterinary courses.
He added that Strathmore University is popularly known to offer finance and accounts courses.
“This university specialises in the courses it offers, and it gets many students seeking to join despite the high school fees. Why? Because it has decided not to go into anything and everything,” Machogu said.
He urged other universities to have a niche course to offer students.
“In any case, our middle-level colleges, our TVET institutions are now better placed to offer diploma courses,” he said.
Machogu said the diploma courses have to be phased out systematically and progressively from universities.
“This is to allow TVET institutions and national Polytechnics as well as other middle-level colleges to offer the diplomas,” he said.
Further, Machogu said with the approval of the Cabinet, the Commission for University Education is working on bridging courses.
“Similar to what we used to have in 2008 to 2016 but because we did not have proper policy guidelines, it was misused,” the CS said.
“So we are now working on something. The Commission for University Education has been mandated to work on it.”
Machogu said the aim is to provide those seeking higher education but are having issues with their cluster points an opportunity.
Additionally, Machogu said the Ministry seeks to make learning in TVET institutions highly practical in a manner that meets international standards of training for purposes of employment
“Germany was here recruiting last year. The UK was here, they went to Nyandarua National Polytechnic and they were able to get more than 100 workers,” he said.
Machogu said he is working to streamline TVET institutions, adding that he found them in chaos.
“When we came in, exams that were done in 2019 to 2021 had not been released. I formed a special task force and at least we were able to release the first batch on December 18. Anyone doing an exam expects results,” he said.