Students enrolling for degree programmes in colleges that have collaborated with public universities risk having their papers not recognized, the Commission for University Education (CUE) has warned.

According to CUE, a college is only allowed to offer what it applied for before accreditation meaning that if it applied to offer a diploma or certificate it cannot extend a degree.

David Some, CUE Chief Executive maintains that his institution does not recognise local university-college collaborations and that the Universities Standards Guidelines, 2014, only recognise cooperation between local and international universities.

“It has come to our observation that most colleges in the country are now luring students with promises of offering degree courses in conjunction with local and international universities,” said David Some.

The statement from the Commission for University Education comes days after the Education Cabinet Secretary, Jacob Kaimenyi directed the Commission to audit all registered and unregistered higher learning institutions offering academic programmes.

“I would like to know how long the institutions offering academic courses without registration have been running, and why they took so long to register,” the letter read in part.

Almost all the popular middle level colleges in the country which previously offered diploma and certificate courses are now affiliated with a local university and are offering degree courses.

CUE urges students to stay informed saying that it cannot police local and international institutions and that it publishes in local dailies and on its website universities approved to offer degrees.

CUE’ S MANDATE

CUE has the mandate to promote the objectives of university education, by regulating and accrediting universities and programmes, among other functions.

Accreditation in Kenya means public acceptance and confirmation evidenced by award of a charter, which a university meets and continues to meet the standards of academic excellence set by the Commission. For any institution to be accredited, CUE must be satisfied that the institution concerned has adequate physical, human, library and financial resources, viable relevant academic programmes and sound structure of governance.