COFEK seeks to halt UoN, Moi dental admissions as Ogamba orders probe

The battle over the accreditation of Kenya’s Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programmes has escalated after Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba ordered a comprehensive audit of the courses even as the Consumers Federation of Kenya moved to court seeking to stop new admissions at the University of Nairobi and Moi University.

Ogamba has directed the Commission for University Education (CUE) to investigate the accreditation status of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery programmes offered by the two universities and submit a comprehensive advisory to the Ministry of Education within 14 days.

“The commission is required to take note of the contents of the subject letter and render a comprehensive advisory thereon to the ministry, within 14 days from the date hereof,” the Cabinet Secretary directed.

The directive comes amid growing concerns raised by stakeholders over whether the programmes comply with the accreditation requirements under the Universities Act.

At the centre of the dispute is a petition filed by COFEK against CUE, the University of Nairobi and Moi University, alleging that the institutions have continued admitting students into the Bachelor of Dental Surgery programme without demonstrating that the courses have received the mandatory programme accreditation required by law.

COFEK argues that while universities may be chartered institutions, every academic programme must separately receive approval and accreditation from CUE before students can be admitted.

“The 2nd (University of Nairobi) and 3rd (Moi University) respondents continue to offer and/or facilitate admissions into the impugned programmes without demonstrable accreditation and approval by the 1st respondent,” the petition states.

The consumer lobby has also enjoined the Kenya Dental Association (KDA) as an interested party, saying the association has consistently raised concerns about quality assurance and regulatory oversight in dental education.

However, KDA under the leadership of its president Dr. Kahura Mundia has not raised concerns over the continued admission of students at the indicted tertiary institutions that failed audit threshold.

According to the 3rd Joint EAC Inspection of New and Existing Medical and Dental Schools audit report, both University of Nairobi and Moi University failed to meet required standards for training doctors and dentists.

The regional assessment of 13 medical and dental training institutions found that while a small number of universities met full compliance thresholds, both the University of Nairobi and Moi University fell below the benchmark required to adequately host medical training programmes.

The University of Nairobi School of Medicine scored 58 per cent, while Moi University School of Medicine recorded 61 per cent—both classified as only partially compliant and falling short of the standards set for producing qualified medical professionals.

The findings are particularly significant given the historical standing of the two institutions, which have long been regarded as Kenya’s flagship centres for medical education and training.

Their performance in the audit now raises questions about the adequacy of infrastructure, staffing levels, and clinical training capacity in some of the country’s oldest medical schools.

According to the EAC report, institutions were assessed on a range of indicators including staffing adequacy, teaching facilities, student-to-faculty ratios, infrastructure quality, and availability of clinical training opportunities.

The audit found widespread gaps across several universities, but the shortcomings at the University of Nairobi and Moi University stood out due to their status and scale.

In the case of the University of Nairobi, inspectors noted deficiencies in key areas of training support, with its School of Dental Sciences also scoring below optimal levels at 68 per cent. Moi University’s School of Dentistry fared worse, scoring 54 per cent, reinforcing concerns about consistency in training standards across faculties.

Caption: The 3rd Joint EAC Inspection of New and Existing Medical and Dental Schools audit report approval and compliance findings.

The report found that only three institutions out of the 13 inspected met full compliance requirements notably Maseno University School of Medicine, Mount Kenya University School of Medicine, and Kisii University School of Health Sciences.

According to COFEK Secretary General Stephen Mutoro, the matter is of significant public interest because graduates from the programmes are licensed to provide healthcare services that directly affect public safety.

“I am aware that the 2nd (University of Nairobi) and 3rd Respondents (Moi University) offer professional dental training programmes whose graduates are subsequently released into the healthcare system and entrusted with responsibilities directly affecting the oral health, safety and welfare of members of the public,” Mutoro states in an affidavit filed before the High Court.

He argues that despite inquiries undertaken by COFEK, there is no demonstrable evidence that the programmes have obtained accreditation under the current legal framework established by the Universities (Amendment) Act, 2016.

The federation says its concerns were reinforced by a recent judgment delivered by Justice William Musyoka, which affirmed that CUE has the exclusive statutory mandate to recognise, license, approve and accredit university academic programmes under Section 5A(2) of the Universities Act.

COFEK also relies on findings contained in the East African Community Joint Inspection Report on medical and dental training institutions, as well as recent concerns publicly raised by the Kenya Dental Association over professional dental education.

The federation wants the High Court to issue conservatory orders barring the University of Nairobi and Moi University from admitting any new students into the Bachelor of Dental Surgery programme until the accreditation questions are conclusively resolved.

Mutoro argues that unless restrained, the two universities will continue admitting additional students into programmes whose legal status remains contested.

The Cabinet Secretary’s directive now places CUE at the centre of the controversy.

The commission is expected to establish whether the two programmes have the requisite accreditation, examine the concerns raised by stakeholders and advise the Ministry of Education on the appropriate regulatory action.

The outcome of the audit could have far-reaching implications not only for future admissions but also for the regulation of professional degree programmes across Kenyan universities.

While COFEK is seeking court orders to suspend admissions pending determination of the case, the government’s audit is expected to provide the first official assessment of whether the country’s oldest dental schools fully comply with the current accreditation regime established under the Universities Act.