Some 105 courses at public universities are yet to be registered despite a directive by the government to have them approved.
The Commission for University Education, which is mandated to approve academic programmes, on Thursday said at least 105 courses still remain unapproved.
For the 2019-20 placement cycle, universities had declared to KUCCPS availability of 1,828 academic programmes and an estimated total student capacity of 170,128. The commission however validated and recommended to KUCCPS 1,723 academic programmes and a total capacity of 136,092.
This comes after earlier reports in January that the commission had rejected 133 courses with a cumulative enrollment of 10,000.
On Thursday, CUE chief executive officer Mwenda Ntarangwi said students taking unapproved courses will continue to pursue them as they await accreditation.
However, universities will not be allowed to admit learners to the courses this academic year until they meet the accreditation requirements.
Ntarangwi explained that despite the courses failing to conform to the right registration procedure, students will not be affected. Institutions have been compelled to conform to regulations that will ultimately lead to accreditation.
This removes earlier fears that the students had wasted time on unapproved courses and could be forced to discontinue their studies.
According to CUE, courses failed the accreditation test for having inadequate facilities based on self-declared data of available physical facilities.
According to the regulations, programmes running for four years ought to be supported by a minimum of two lecture rooms.
The commission further reveals that the institutions lacked minutes of university senate to approve the courses.
The institutions had also not submitted the courses to the commission for accreditation.
Ntarangwi further said the academic papers of these courses will be recognised by employers as soon as they are accredited.
The commission has directed universities to stop declaring options within already approved programmes as separate degree programmes.
"The move to validate undergraduate programmes offered was done under request from the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service and that the Commission’s decisions were based on facilities as well as programmes on offer as at August last year," the CEO said.
Edited by R.Wamochie
