The Universities (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2023
Status Timeline
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Public Review
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Debate
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Executive
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Final
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Mandatory Digital Academic Databases
The bill amends Section 20 of the Universities Act (No. 42 of 2012) to require chartered universities to provide a digital database. This platform must enable external users to verify the authenticity of degrees, diplomas, and other academic certificates issued by the institution.
Compliance with Data Protection Laws
Any digital database established by a university for the purpose of verifying academic papers must be implemented subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act to protect personal data.
Transition to Remote Academic Verification
The initiative aims to eliminate the need for individuals to physically visit university campuses to verify certificates, preventing disruptions caused by university strikes, national elections, or epidemics.
Bill No.
No. 41 of 2023
Gazette No.
Supplement No. 126 of 2023
Sponsor
Abdul Haro
Background
The Universities (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2023, sponsored by Abdul Haro, MP, addresses the inefficiencies and inconveniences associated with verifying academic credentials in Kenya. Currently, employers and academic institutions often have to physically contact or visit universities to verify the authenticity of academic papers. This manual process is frequently disrupted during university strikes, elections, and public health epidemics. The bill seeks to modernize and streamline this process by mandating a transition to digital verification databases.
Key Amendments
Amendment of Section 20 of No. 42 of 2012
The bill proposes to amend Section 20 of the Universities Act, which outlines the effect of a university charter. It inserts a new paragraph (f) under subsection (1) to make the provision of a digital database a legal requirement for chartered universities.
New Obligations
University Administration Obligations
- Database Provision: Chartered universities must establish and maintain a digital database containing academic records of papers acquired from the institution.
- Public Access: The database must be designed to allow a person to access it and easily ascertain the authenticity of degrees, diplomas, and other academic certificates.
- Data Privacy Compliance: In setting up and maintaining these verification systems, universities must comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act.
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Updates will be visible here once they are approved and applied to this bill.