The Education ministry is seeking an urgent intervention from the Attorney-General to protect the role of a State-owned corporation in verifying academic certificates from local and foreign institutions.
This is after Parliament last week termed the role of KNQA in verifying academic certificates as illegal.
The Education ministry is seeking an urgent intervention from the Attorney-General to protect the role of a State-owned corporation in verifying academic certificates from local and foreign institutions.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has written to Attorney-General Kihara Kariuki to guide the ministry in amending the regulations to avoid sub-sectors in Education from overlapping the mandate and conflicting the roles of the Kenya National Qualification Authority (KNQA).
This is after Parliament last week termed the role of KNQA in verifying academic certificates as illegal.
KNQA and the Technical and Vocational Training Authority (TVETA) are locked in a court battle over who should certify and harmonise the education qualifications from within and outside Kenya.
KNQA argues that it has the mandate to advice and support anybody, including TVETA which is responsible for the award of national qualification.
Part III of the Kenya National Qualifications Framework Regulations gives KNQA the authority to recognise, equate and verify national and foreign academic qualifications.
The National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee (PIC) said the powers that KNQA has been using to certify educational qualifications were not approved by Parliament.
PIC chairman Abdulswamad Nassir said the regulations were not approved by the Committee on Delegated Legislation and therefore KNQA has been performing the function illegally.
The revelation came as universities have been put on high alert over the potential acquisition of fraudulent degrees by politicians seeking elective posts ahead of the next General Election.
The University Education department is concerned about the likelihood of aspirants infiltrating universities to acquire fake degrees as politicians rush to beat the provisions of the Elections Act 2011.
Professor Magoha wrote to Mr Kihara on January 19 drawing his attention to an earlier letter on judicial review application No E36 of 2021 filed in the High Court in Nairobi.
A petitioner George Bala moved to court claiming that KNQA does not have powers to approve national and foreign qualifications.
He argued that the powers are only vested with the Commission for University Education and TVETA.
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