Mount Kenya University (MKU) Waives Fees for Graduates with Arrears
Mount Kenya University (MKU) has announced a waiver of fees for students who have completed their studies but are yet to clear outstanding balances.
This move will allow graduates who had been unable to collect their certificates due to arrears to finally receive their documents, easing their transition into the job market where proof of qualification is essential.
The university’s Chairman and founder, Prof. Simon Gicharu, directed the institution to release the certificates of students who had completed their studies but could not access their certificates because of unpaid fees.
He acknowledged the challenges faced by these graduates, emphasizing the impact on their job prospects.
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Prof. Gicharu urged graduates to clear their arrears once they secure employment, highlighting that any funds collected from these payments would be used to support needy students through the Chancellor’s Scholarship.
He extended this initiative to include previous graduates from MKU’s Rwanda campus.
Partnerships and Global Opportunities
Prof. Gicharu also highlighted the success of MKU’s partnerships with institutions in Germany and Austria.
A partnership with Koblenz University of Applied Sciences in Germany has provided nursing professionals from Eastern Africa with apprenticeship opportunities in German hospitals.
The first group of students traveled to Germany in April 2024, and a second group, part of the current graduation cohort, is scheduled to depart in September 2024.
To support this initiative, the German Government, through DAAD, appointed Ms. Charlotte Katharin Filbry to assist MKU in preparing students for their roles in Germany, with mandatory German language training.
Additionally, MKU has collaborated with Austrian health authorities and Lebenshilfe Tirol, enabling the integration of 40 trained MKU nurses annually into Austrian hospitals and elderly care homes. The first two candidates in this program will depart in October.
Innovation and Incubation Center
MKU has partnered with the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry to establish an innovation and incubation center at the university.
Funded by a World Bank grant, this center will support early-stage businesses in manufacturing, agriculture, the creative economy, health, and ICT.
MKU’s Chancellor, Prof. John Struthers, praised the university’s growth in forming global partnerships, which have expanded opportunities for both students and faculty.
He noted the significant collaborations with institutions from Japan, Europe, and Australia.
At the local level, partnerships with organizations such as Cape Media’s Talent Academy and the Kenyatta University Teaching, Research and Referral Hospital (KUTRRH) were highlighted as major achievements.
Graduation Ceremony and Government Support
During MKU’s 25th graduation ceremony, held at the University’s Happy Valley Grounds in Thika, 7,974 students graduated.
The event’s chief guest, Dr. Beatrice Muganda Inyangala, Principal Secretary of the State Department for Higher Education and Research, emphasized the government’s focus on research-based solutions to achieve its Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
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She also recognized MKU’s contributions to Sustainable Development Goal Number Four (SDG 4) on access to quality education, noting the university’s role as the host of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) SDG 10 Hub on Reduced Inequalities for the past three years.
Rev. Jackson Ole Sapit, the ACK Archbishop, advised the graduates to seek wisdom as they apply the skills they have acquired.
He urged them to make wise decisions, particularly regarding family, noting that many have strayed in this area. He reminded the graduates of the importance of wisdom, beyond the knowledge they had gained, as they step into their futures.
Mount Kenya University (MKU) Waives Fees for Graduates with Arrears
