Govt under pressure to shut down two universities

 

The government was yesterday under pressure from the Members of Parliament (MPs) to close down Kampala International University (KIU), Dar es Salaam campus and Saint Joseph University of Tanzania for the violation of registration provisions.

 

The Shadow Minister for Education and Vocational Training Susan Lyimo (Chadema) said KIU violated the registration provisions thus failed to provide quality  education       compared to  other universities.

 

On her basic question Lyimo had wanted to know why the government was not closing the universities in order to protect and maintain quality education  provided by the local universities.

 

MP for Arumeru- West Goodluck Ole Medeye (CCM) claimed that Saint Joseph College was established to collect  student’s money but not to offer quality education.

 

Ole Medeye added that the government should take immediate action to close down the universities because they lacked  the criteria of being the institutions of higher learning.

 

Special seat MP (Chadema) Christowaja Mtinda said that the government had delayed to take action against the universities because the institutions since they had breached the registration regulations and caused inconveniences to the students.

 

Responding, Minister of State, Prime Minister's Office, Policy, Co-ordination and Parliamentary Affairs, Jenista Mhagama told the House that the government was aware of the problems facing KIU and  St Joseph universities but it needs to do a thorough research in order to make right decisions.

 

Mhagama elaborated that it was true that some universities in the country violated registration terms.

 

She added that the government had started to work on the two universities and it would provide the  findings after completing the exercise.

 

The deputy minister for Labour and Employment added that the universities in the country were established under the University Act No 136 of which the Tanzania Commission for University (TCU) provides   registration license and accreditation to universities.

 

Mid last month the government said that   it had finally resolved the educational conflict at the Dar es Salaam based Kampala International University (KIU) after both parties agreed to localise the varsity’s curricula to comply with the Pharmacy Council of Tanzania and recognise graduates currently perusing medical courses at the institution.

 

 Education and Vocational Training minister, Dr Shukuru Kawambwa and Health and Social Welfare minister Dr Seif Rashid announced the new move  when briefing journalists on the outcome  of their meeting with KIU education specialists.

 

 “Graduates from KIU are now recognised and shall work under special supervision for a specific period … student currently at the university are also recognised,” said Dr Kawambwa, who insisted that the new curricula will be for students joining the college in the 2015/16 academic year.

 

 According to the minister, KIU was using international curricula since it was registered as a foreign university like Agha Khan and Jomo Kenyatta universities.

 

He elaborated that under the agreement, the KIU Dar es Salaam campus shall now review its prospectus to suit the country’s academic standards with accordance to the National Council for Technical Education (NACTE).

 

 The university offers bachelor of medicine and surgery, bachelor of pharmacy, bachelor of medical laboratory, diploma in medical laboratory technology, diploma in clinical medicine, diploma in pharmacy, certificate in clinical assistant, certificate in medical laboratory and certificate in pharmacy.

 

 Dr Kawambwa also clarified on the pre-medical training ‘bridging course’ that was offered to students of medical courses on laboratory, pharmacy and medicine surgery, saying it is a normal practice to most of the colleges since it is geared to improve student’s learning ability.

 

He said such courses were also offered by the University of Dar es Salaam in previous years for students taking science courses.

 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN