Mount Kenya University (MKU) has waived the Kes82 million fee debt, allowing graduates who have failed to get their certificates.
MKU Founder and Chairman of the the Board of Directors Prof Simon Gicharu instructed the university to give the graduates their certificates unconditionally so that they would be able to look for jobs.
He attributed the waiver to the huge number of uncollected certificates due to fee arrears, pointing out that they restricted them from getting employed.
“I have looked around and found out that several graduates are yet to collect their certificates due to debt in fees arrears. As a university, it’s our wish that they take the documents to be able to look for jobs. This will see us forfeit Kes 82 million, though, to a good course.”
Speaking during the 25th graduation ceremony at the Thika main campus, he called on those who would benefit from the gesture to give back if they get jobs in the future.
Did you read this?
“Once you get a job, feel free to repay the money to the institution. The money will be directed to the Chancellor’s kitty that helps in educating learners from poor backgrounds,” he said.
Similarly, he announced that the University would start a Bachelor of Nautical Sciences course at the Malindi campus next year to train ship captains and officers.
On his part, Higher Education and Research Principal Secretary Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, the chief guest, emphasized the need for universities to invest in the Research, Science, Technology, and Innovation ecosystem to enable the country to develop.
The PS reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to providing a conducive policy environment for supporting research, promoting patents, scaling innovations, and commercializing them.
On the other hand, MKU Vice Chancellor Prof. Daegratius Jaganyi emphasized the University’s commitment to building strategic partnerships to strengthen research and innovation both locally and with international institutions.
To support young innovators in developing their technologies, he said the university would award research grants to faculty members from various schools up to Sh1.8 million from the Vice Chancellor's kitty.
He said Faculty members were expected to work with postgraduate students to improve the graduate completion rate.
