Gov’t sets up professional programmes accreditation committee

The government has set up a standing committee to harmonise the accreditation of professional and technical programmes in institutions of higher learning.

Programme Accreditation Consultative Committee (PACC) will address the statutory conflicts that have seen professional bodies fail to approve programmes that Universities and colleges offer, a move that has created anxieties among students and parents.

The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Dr. Fred Matiang’i, said the committee will be the vehicle to review pending cases surrounding programmes that caused disagreements between professional bodies and the Universities.

Dr. Matiang’i said that PACC will be charged with the responsibility of reviewing programmes that have difficulties in terms of acceptability in the light of changing industry complexities.

The formation of the Committee follows disagreements between professional organisations, notably the Engineers Registration Board (ERB) and the Council of Legal Education (CLE) over the training of Engineering and Law programmes in some universities.

Dr. Matiang’i convened the meeting to explore ways and means of resolving the stalemate to allay the fears and anxieties among the students and parents of students who have enrolled in the programmes. Representatives of 17 professional bodies, with the exception of representatives of the Council for Legal Education (CLE), attended the meeting at the Ministry of Education headquarters at Jogoo House in Nairobi Monday.

Dr. Matiang’i said the stakeholders in higher education should be positive by looking for solutions to allay the fears and confusion students and parents were having.

“Ours is a public trust which all of us must discharge in ways that do not hurt the country,” Dr. Matiang’i said.

He said PACC, to be chaired by Professor Suda, will be the instrument to address any issue surrounding the disharmony between the standards professional bodies require and that Commission for University Education (CUE).

“We should not wait for professional bodies to outlaw a programme or students to riot over non-accreditation of a programme by a professional body, before we meet to address a problem.”

The standing committee, Dr. Matiang’i noted, should act as one-stop shop for all information regarding the accreditation status of professional programmes.

The Standing Committee will comprise of the Engineers Registration Board, Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board, Architectural Association of Kenya, Council of Legal Education, Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians& technologist Board, Institute of Surveyors, Pharmacy and Poisons Board, Kenya Nutritionists Institute, Kenya Veterinary Board, Veterinary and Research Laboratories, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Chartered Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Public Universities will be represented by the Moi University Vice Chancellor Prof.  Richard Mibey while the Vice Chancellor of Scott Christian University, Prof. Mumo Kisau, will represent Private Universities.

Other members include the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service and the Commission for University Education (CUE) which accredits Universities and programmes some of which have been source of disagreements between it and professional organisations.

Dr. Matiang’i said higher education institutions and professional organisations will serve Kenyans, students and parents better through constant consultations through this committee.