Punitive Measures against Non-Compliance with Quality Mechanisms in East African Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

The purpose of this study was therefore to provide a historical review of the nature, scope and trends of punitive measures taken by the East African quality agencies in responding to non-compliance cases. The study employed a qualitative approach through narrative review by collecting and analyzing qualitative data from existing documents. The study concludes that the trend, nature and scope of such punitive measures differ across countries since each country has a national quality agency with its own ways of regulating universities without the influence of the IUCEA. Moreover, since the punished public universities are both very few (in Kenya and Tanzania) and absent (in Rwanda), this study questions the independence of the national quality agencies to take impartial punitive measures on both public and private universities as far as the existing non-compliance cases are concerned. Therefore, this study recommends that the national quality agencies have to be autonomous from state control. The IUCEA has to be empowered with regulatory functions. The quality agencies should assess and address the loopholes for incorrect quality assurance decisions. They also have to take more proactive decisions than reactive ones. Both impromptu and regular quality audits have to be strengthened in all universities and both national and internal quality agencies have to be capacitated in terms of all forms of resources to conduct effective quality assurance activities for improving universities’ quality.