Several Kenyan varsities have complied with government’s directive to register students biometrically.
The University of Nairobi (UoN), Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and Maasai Mara University have registered first year students biometrically.
This move is geared towards cushioning the students from terror threats.
It emerged that institutions of higher learning could be easy targets for terrorists.
Government since ordered all institutions of higher learning to develop an effective biometric system.
In Moi University, the biometric technology is set to be launched soon.
“The launch will be held next week through a local bank,” said the varsity’s Vice Chancellor Prof Laban Ayiro according to Daily Nation.
The technology has been embraced by Mount Kenya University according to VC Prof Stanley Waundo.
“USIU-Africa has a biometric registration system in place which was launched in 2008 and upgraded in 2013,” noted USIU-Africa Principal Marketing and Communications Officer Jackie Chirchir.
Both private and public varsities are expected to comply with the directive according to Chairman, Commission for University Education (CUE) Chacha Nyaigoti Chacha.
In 2017, 88,626 students were admitted to 59 universities across the country.
Of this, 71,089 joined 31 public universities while 17,368 joined private universities.
The directive was arrived at after a terror attack at Garissa University in 2015 where more than 140 students lost their lives.
By Pharis Kinyua. He’s an online Journalist and an author for Jamhuri News.