KIU, Ministry in row over medic school
Jan 14, 2005
The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has accused Kampala International University (KIU) of illegally running a medical school without accreditation.
By Fortunate Ahimbisibwe
The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has accused Kampala International University (KIU) of illegally running a medical school without accreditation.
KIU in turn accused the council of harassment and trying to prevent the Bushenyi-based school from competing with other medical schools.
KIU officials said they were considering suing the council for interfering in its operations and causing disrepute to the university.
The council insists that KIU did not follow the appropriate procedure before starting the medical programmes.
The deputy executive director of NCHE, Yeko Achato, said, “They (KIU) can’t start running the medical school and then begin seeking accreditation when the school is operational.
“The process of establishing a professional programme requires that the institution must consult the professional body. To our knowledge, KIU has not done this but we have heard that it is already running the programmes. We are still wondering how they became operational,†Achato says.
“The council will, at an appropriate time, find a solution,†he said.
President Yoweri Museveni officially opened the school in October 2004.
Achato said under the law, the New Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, 2003, all higher institutions of learning must be cleared by the NCHE before becoming operational.
Under this law, NCHE is supposed to control and monitor the standards and efficiency of all institutions of higher learning.
“KIU is not supposed to have admitted students into these programmers before accreditation.
We have never inspected that facility,†Achato said.
KIU spokesman Allan Mbabazi said the medical school had running programmes and “nothing will stand in its way.â€
“The (former) minister of Education, Dr. Khidu Makubuya, visited the campus in December and gave us a go-ahead. So what is the council saying? We have all the required facilities. The school has been attached to over five referral hospitals. We have also recruited international experts in medicine and pharmacy. The dean of that school is a former dean of Kenyatta University Medical School,†he said.
“The council has a hidden agenda against the medical school because some of its members are from the competing institutions. That is why they are trying to sabotage the school,†he said.
Ironically, Dr. Makubuya visited the school when it was already operating.
Mbarara University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Frederick Kayanja is the chairperson of NCHE.
The medical school in question is attached to KIU, which is owned by city tycoon Hassan Bassajabala, a hides and skins dealer with a long chain of businesses across the country.
The school is running Bachelor of Science in Medicine, Pharmacy and Nursing programmes with about 200 students. Close to 500 others are doing a clinical officers course.
NCHE chairman Prof. A.B.K. Kasozi said NCHE was not given an opportunity to inspect the facility and give its views. “We were not invited,†he said.
“The council is supposed to inspect the facility before clearing the medical school but this has not been done although the school is already operating,†he added.
Efforts to get the registrar of the Medical Council, Dr. John Ndiku, to clarify if the school was approved, were futile.
But Achato said, “The school has not yet been accredited because we are part of the process of accreditation. So, it could not have been done without our knowledge.â€
Last month, the vice-chancellor, Prof. Muhammad Ndawura, told Makubuya that the council was harassing them, citing conflict of interest among the officers of the NCHE.
The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has accused Kampala International University (KIU) of illegally running a medical school without accreditation.
KIU in turn accused the council of harassment and trying to prevent the Bushenyi-based school from competing with other medical schools.
KIU officials said they were considering suing the council for interfering in its operations and causing disrepute to the university.
The council insists that KIU did not follow the appropriate procedure before starting the medical programmes.
The deputy executive director of NCHE, Yeko Achato, said, “They (KIU) can’t start running the medical school and then begin seeking accreditation when the school is operational.
“The process of establishing a professional programme requires that the institution must consult the professional body. To our knowledge, KIU has not done this but we have heard that it is already running the programmes. We are still wondering how they became operational,†Achato says.
“The council will, at an appropriate time, find a solution,†he said.
President Yoweri Museveni officially opened the school in October 2004.
Achato said under the law, the New Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, 2003, all higher institutions of learning must be cleared by the NCHE before becoming operational.
Under this law, NCHE is supposed to control and monitor the standards and efficiency of all institutions of higher learning.
“KIU is not supposed to have admitted students into these programmers before accreditation.
We have never inspected that facility,†Achato said.
KIU spokesman Allan Mbabazi said the medical school had running programmes and “nothing will stand in its way.â€
“The (former) minister of Education, Dr. Khidu Makubuya, visited the campus in December and gave us a go-ahead. So what is the council saying? We have all the required facilities. The school has been attached to over five referral hospitals. We have also recruited international experts in medicine and pharmacy. The dean of that school is a former dean of Kenyatta University Medical School,†he said.
“The council has a hidden agenda against the medical school because some of its members are from the competing institutions. That is why they are trying to sabotage the school,†he said.
Ironically, Dr. Makubuya visited the school when it was already operating.
Mbarara University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Frederick Kayanja is the chairperson of NCHE.
The medical school in question is attached to KIU, which is owned by city tycoon Hassan Bassajabala, a hides and skins dealer with a long chain of businesses across the country.
The school is running Bachelor of Science in Medicine, Pharmacy and Nursing programmes with about 200 students. Close to 500 others are doing a clinical officers course.
NCHE chairman Prof. A.B.K. Kasozi said NCHE was not given an opportunity to inspect the facility and give its views. “We were not invited,†he said.
“The council is supposed to inspect the facility before clearing the medical school but this has not been done although the school is already operating,†he added.
Efforts to get the registrar of the Medical Council, Dr. John Ndiku, to clarify if the school was approved, were futile.
But Achato said, “The school has not yet been accredited because we are part of the process of accreditation. So, it could not have been done without our knowledge.â€
Last month, the vice-chancellor, Prof. Muhammad Ndawura, told Makubuya that the council was harassing them, citing conflict of interest among the officers of the NCHE.