Fairland lacks requirements, insists NCHE

Quality demand. The higher standards body files a defence before court in response to the Jinja-based university on protesting notices that the latter was operating illegally.

The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has backed its opposition to Fairland University operations, saying it lacks the requirements of a university.

This was contained in a defence statement filed before the High Court in Kampala yesterday. The defence was in response to the suit filed by the Jinja-based university on January 28, protesting notices issued by the council that it was operating illegally and offering unaccredited courses.

Through its lawyers, NCHE claims it is protecting the unsuspecting public, since the university had been adamant to constitute the requisite university components despite earlier cautions.

Additionally, the council notes that Fairland University has continued to operate unlicensed study centres and run long distance courses.

University’s defiance
NCHE also faults the university on grounds that despite knowledge that institutions with provisional licences are not mandated to award masters and doctorate degrees, it has continued to do so.

The council also brands Fairland University as dishonest, saying it had exhibited sinister motives by denying the council access to the university premises.

The antagonism between the NCHE and the Jinja-based university, started on November 10, 2005, when the council issued the university with a provisional licence. Subsequently, the university was published in the Uganda Gazette of December 2, 2005, notifying the general public that it was a licensed institution.

The university started its operations and secured funding from financial institutions to set up both physical and technical infrastructure.
However, NCHE revoked its licence, contrary to the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act 2001.

The university accuses the council of witch-hunting it, saying this has curtailed efforts to establish itself as a fully-fledged university. It cites an incident when the Kenya Commission for Higher Education issued a notice in the print media in 2009, distancing itself from the institution.

But NCHE says the statutory two-year period a university enjoys following receipt of a provisional licence, expired in July 2011. The case file has been allocated to Justice Benjamin Kabiito though a hearing date is yet to be set.

awesaka@ug.nationmedia.com