UoN probing lecturer who leaked exams to 3rd-year law student
The University of Nairobi has set up a committee to probe an incident where a law lecturer allegedly leaked end of semester examinations to a third-year student.
The student later shared the examination materials with a section of his friends in the class.
School of Law Dean Prof Kiarie Mwaura said the lecturer has since been suspended to allow investigations to go on.
“We will take appropriate action once we get the report,” said Prof Mwaura. He said this was the first incident to be reported at the institution.
The leakage raises questions on the integrity of examinations in universities.
Last year, an investigation by British media described Kenya as a hotbed of academic dishonesty, where jobless graduates were minting millions of shillings writing thesis and term papers for students in the United Kingdom.
Last month, Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha asked universities to focus on quality education, noting that his interaction with some graduates has been horrible even those with PhDs.
The number of students we graduate
“I have interviewed graduates with PhD with some not remembering their thesis. It’s time we stopped talking about the number of students we graduate but quality graduates with quality,” said Prof Magoha, citing Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) where he served as chairperson before his current appointment, saying they have been unable to get the best candidate for the substantive chief executive officer position.
Prof Magoha regretted that many experts could be writing thesis for students in universities and if so they should be in jail.
“Many managers in the industry are investing money to train some of the graduates that we have trained in universities since some are not up to the tasks,” said Prof Magoha.
Already, 21 law graduates have been locked out Kenya School of Law after failing to produce A-level certificates as some had joined the universities without meeting the qualifications set.
In 2017, the Commission for University Education (CUE), in a report, noted there were weak security controls in terms of printing, storage and sealing of certificates, thus compromising their integrity.
In 2017, a lecturer at the University was charged in Court for demanding and receiving a bribe from a student to award him exam marks.