Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha is now calling for the inspection of degree academic qualifications for all Kenyans following complaints of fake degree certificates.
Magoha who was speaking during a school inspection tour in Migori stated that should he be given the mandate, he would ensure that matter is looked into to avert shortcuts in gaining academic qualifications.
“What’s is the problem, in fact I don’t have powers but if I had the powers, I would say that because of all this noise everybody’s degree should now be checked,” he said.
“So that we check if there is a problem because it is becoming a big issue. You can’t have a degree in six months or two years. The minimum is prescribed according to hours and units,” Magoha said.
The Education Boss further pointed out that the verification of academic qualifications should not be politicised arguing that is not a matter to be decided by the courts.
Magoha asserted that the issue of academic credentials verification should be only done by the Commission for University Education (CUE).
“This noise you are hearing is political and not professional at all. It is important to allow CUE to do its work. Unfortunately, when it comes to IEBC and they say you can’t go, then it becomes an issue. Remove politics from it “he said.
His statement comes in the midst of a tussle between United Democratic Alliance (UDA) gubernatorial candidate Johnson Sakaja and CUE over the authenticity of his academic qualifications.
Meanwhile, Magoha assured that the government is looking into the preparedness of private schools to roll out the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) education in junior secondary school.
He maintained that there is no crisis in terms of transition to junior secondary school due to lack of infrastructure.
“There is so much toxic opinion, we are serving our children without prejudice. We shall continue to look at private schools and encourage them,” he said.