Riara University receives Letter of Interim Authority

Riara University yesterday received a letter of interim authority to offer degree programmes. The letter qualifies it to meet standards required by the Commission for Higher education to offer the programmes as stipulated in the Universities Act and the Rules. CEO Everett Standa said the varsity joins 11 other universities operating under the same category.

“It authorizes the University to set up a governing body, continue the development of physical facilities and assembly of academic resources,” Standa said when issuing the letter at the Commission of Higher Education offices.

He said the letter also authorises the institution to advertise the programmes it will offer and admit students to programmes that the commission will specify. Standa cautioned the institution against mounting new programmes without the commission’s approval in accordance with rule 19 section 3.

“The programmes which this particular university has been authorised to offer are Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Education Arts,” Standa said. Chairman Commission for Higher Education Ezra Maritim said the event takes place at a time when universities are challenged to take up their rightful place as agents of social transformation in a speech read oh his behalf by commissioner Jamleck Mutugi.

“As the country gears towards the realisation of Vision 2030, those at the helm must be women and men of intellect,” Maritim said. He said with the liberalisation of higher education, the country has been flooded with “merchants” of university education purporting to offer quality university education but whose primary mission is to fleece innocent Kenyans.

“The commission takes great exception to those who continue to deceive the public by advertising their ‘universities’ in the local media,” Maritim said. He warned that the commission will soon name and shame people offering sub-standard university education. Maritim advised the public to confirm those universities authorised to operate in the country and those accredited abroad before enrolling in university education.

Original story in The Star by Elizabeth Were