First Read:
Top Ugandan varsity fails Kenya quality test
Education body rejects 66 KIU PhDs
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Education-body-rejects-66-KIU-PhDs/-/688334/1731232/-/4kpm44/-/index.html
By PATIENCE AHIMBISIBWE
Posted Wednesday, March 27 2013 at 02:00
Posted Wednesday, March 27 2013 at 02:00
In Summary
NCHE says there were flaws in awarding the PhDs. Kampala
The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has said it does not recognise 66 Kampala International University (KIU) PhD awards.
This follows a report from a taskforce instituted last year after the university awarded 44 of its students the highest education qualification. According to Prof Nyeko Pen-Mogi, the council chairperson, KIU policy documents were well written and contained good procedures that could have produced quality PhD graduates if they were followed.
However, he said there were flaws in the admission processes, low quality examination, recruitment of some non-qualified supervisors and examiners and non-adherence to the four-year approved duration for the completion of the approved programme. NCHE is a government regulatory body supposed to ensure quality higher education.
“We don’t recognise 66 KIU PhD degrees in their current state. We don’t want any of our universities to be blacklisted. Higher education has become a business. Somebody starts up a university without proper structures and qualified staff,” Prof. Pen-Mogi told journalists yesterday in Kampala. He added: “The gaps were identified in both the 2011 and 2012 graduate cohort.”
Out of the 66 candidates, 24 of whom were in the 2011 graduation, the dissertations of eight will require minor corrections, 36 require major revisions before the PhD awards can be recognised. But 22 dissertations were rejected generally for “having serious conceptual, philosophical, theoretical, methodological and new knowledge deficiencies as well as obvious plagiarism that rendered them irredeemable.”
KIU vice chancellor PK Tibenderana yesterday said they needed more time to look at the report before the university can issues an official statement. “I may not be able to give a position today. Give us some time. Maybe tomorrow (today)” Prof. Tibenderana said on phone.
The head of the taskforce, Prof. Opuda-Asibo said seven of the supervisors had fake degrees from unrecognised institutions.
The acting NCHE executive director, Prof. Moses Golola, said their action was aimed at promoting quality in higher education. “This is not witch-hunt. We are in the learning process and our dream is that any graduate will measure up to the standard in Uganda and outside,” he said.
