The commission found out that the school-based programmes were introduced without legal basis and that it has compromised the quality of university education. “We therefore recommend that this mode of delivery of academic programmes be abolished forthwith,” reads the report. To ensure compliance, the commission says it will constantly monitor progress as some institutions are reinventing the practice through different names. The news comes as a major setback to thousands of teachers who attend classes in public and private universities during school holidays. Just last week, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) warned teachers against using school resources to complete their personal academic assignments. TSC also cautioned teachers who have disowned their teaching duties to pursue studies under the school-based programme. “The commission reiterates that while it appreciates that the attainment of higher qualifications is beneficial to the teaching service, the same should not be undertaken at the expense of learners’ education,” said CEO Nancy Macharia in a circular dated April 17. Macharia directed institutional administrators to compile a comprehensive list and details of teachers undertaking private studies on school-based programme and submit it to their respective sub-county directors for monitoring.
CUE says after auditing six private and 10 public universities between August and December 2016, it emerged that the model developed primarily for education programmes had expanded to include many others. “This mode of delivery has spread to clusters including business and economics, humanities and social sciences, engineering, medical sciences, technology, visual and performing arts, applied and human sciences and economics among others,” reads the report. CUE says delivery of the programme focused on ‘sessions’, which do not fit in provisions on calendar mode and duration under Academic Organisation and Structure of The Universities Standards and Guidelines (2014). An academic year ought to have 120 hours. A credit hour is equivalent to a minimum of 13 instructional hours. Under the school-based programme, teachers only attend classes during school holidays in the months of April, August and December.
Courtesy of The Standard
