Varsity Sacks 350 Staff Members Over Fake Academic Certificates
The Technical University of Kenya (TUK) has dismissed over 350 employees, including teachers, due to fraudulent academic credentials.
Following an audit that revealed discrepancies in the academic qualifications of these staff members, their names were removed from the university’s payroll.
The affected individuals span various levels within the institution, with terminations set to occur by the end of this month.
A university insider mentioned that some of these cases will be forwarded to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) for further examination and potential legal action.
Last year, TUK’s management undertook efforts to revise the staffing structure amid allegations of overstaffing.
These efforts included new appointments and promotions, which were criticized for alleged impropriety.
In June 2023, the Director of Human Resource Management issued a memo directing unit heads, school administrators, faculty members, and center administrators to conduct a staff headcount and identify vacant positions.
The verification of academic certificates began in December of last year, involving checks with various educational institutions.
Recently, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua highlighted that over 10,000 government employees hold dubious qualifications.
The University Academic Staff Union (UASU) TUK chapter has reached out to its members to plan for the future.
The union informed its members that some staff had received letters notifying them of their impending removal from the payroll effective July 1, 2024.
The union advised all affected members to share the details of their letters with the chapter office for guidance.
Given the varied reasons behind the management’s intended actions, the chapter secretary, Fred Wanyonyi Sawenja, urged the union and its members to adopt a collective, responsible, and reasonable approach to address the situation.
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In conclusion, TUK’s rigorous audit and subsequent dismissals underscore the university’s commitment to maintaining integrity in its academic and administrative processes.
The involvement of anti-corruption and criminal investigation bodies indicates the severity of the issue, while the union’s proactive stance aims to support the affected members through this challenging transition.
Varsity Sacks 350 Staff Members Over Fake Academic Certificates
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