Universities could be banned from offering diploma and certificate courses if a new law before Parliament is enacted.
The proposal by Embakasi Central legislator Benjamin Gathiru intends to boost enrollments in tertiary institutions which have suffered low enrollments for years.
“Further, limiting certificate and diploma courses to technical and vocational colleges will increase enrolment in these institutions.”
“The technical and vocational colleges usually record low enrolment numbers despite the government investing heavily in these institutions.” The bill reads.
In the proposed law, The Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the MP proposes that universities should only offer postgraduate diplomas and postgraduate certificates.
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“The principal objective of this Bill is to amend the Universities Act, 2012 to end the practice of universities offering certificate and diploma courses.”
“This is informed by the fact that currently there are two bodies certifying certificate and diploma courses and this leads to inconsistencies in the content and duration of the courses,” Gathiru states.
Should the proposal sail through, learners seeking to pursue diploma and certificate courses in Universities will be diverted to Tertiary students.
The directive will however not affect students currently pursuing diploma and certificate courses in various universities.
“Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-section (1) (e), 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,” reads the Bill.