MP Pushes for Elimination of Diploma and Certificate Courses in Universities
Embakasi Central legislator, Benjamin Gathiru, has presented proposals to Parliament aimed at eliminating basic diploma and certificate courses from university academic programs.
The newly published Universities (Amendment) (No 5) Bill 2023 suggests replacing these courses with postgraduate diplomas and postgraduate certificate programs.
This proposal aligns with the recommendations outlined in the report submitted last year by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER), a task force appointed by President William Ruto to address longstanding challenges in the country’s education sector.
According to the PWPER report, universities should be prohibited from offering certificates and diplomas, with a focus instead on degree programs to ensure optimal quality.
Mr. Gathiru emphasizes in his Bill that universities are meant to be centers of higher learning and academic research, advocating for a shift towards offering only degree and postgraduate programs.
He stated, “The principal objective of this Bill is to amend the Universities Act, 2012, to cease the practice of universities offering certificate and diploma courses.”
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Gathiru further argues that limiting certificate and diploma courses to technical and vocational colleges will bolster enrollment in these institutions, which have historically struggled with low student numbers despite significant government investment.
Under the proposed legislation, existing students pursuing diploma and certificate courses in universities would be allowed to complete their programs, but new enrollments would be discontinued.
The Bill specifies, “A university may continue to offer diploma and certificate courses to a student undertaking a certificate or diploma course before the commencement of this Act.”
The PWPER report, submitted in August, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that universities’ competition in offering certificate and diploma courses contributes to low enrollment in colleges.
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MP Pushes for Elimination of Diploma and Certificate Courses in Universities
