Mount Kenya University has been named among Kenyan Universities certified to offer Maritime Courses.
The accreditation was announced by Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) director general George Nyamoko Okongo.
Other institutions included Kenya School of Revenue Administration and Coast International College.
Mr Nyamoko said that the three learning institutions have so far been fully accredited by the country’s maritime regulator to offer specialized training in Maritime Transport and Logistics (MTL).
”KMA has audited eleven training institutions with three meeting the set requirements,” he said.
” In recognition of the fact that maritime training is yet to be well developed in Kenya, KMA partnered with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development(KICD) and other industry subject experts to develop instructors guide and trainee’s manuals for the MTL curriculum,” he said.
He observed that maritime education and training has lagged behind other training programs in Kenya for a long time. Characterized by un-harmonized content that vary in time, relevance and coverage .
Early last year in impromptu visit to MKU, Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiangi called for a coordinated approach in the accreditation of academic programmes offered by universities in Kenya.
Dr Matiangi said the frequent disputes between universities and professional accreditation bodies had only one loser: university students.
“We shall constitute a team chaired by the Attorney General, which will bring all the players, that is universities, the Commission for University Education and professional bodies for a round table discussion,” he said. “The constant antagonism is only hurting our children.”He said.
In the recent past, some universities in Kenya have been at loggerheads with professional bodies over accreditation of academic programmes.
The Commission for University Education (CUE) is the supreme body that accredits universities in Kenya. Chartered universities in Kenya are guided by their charters.