Over ten thousand 'ex-comrades' whom the Engineering Registration Board (ERB) has failed to enroll will at least 'have their backs scratched', as they will be awarded KES 200,000 each. Justice David Majanja ordered the board on Monday to pay general damages estimated at KES 2 billion to each of the graduates from Egerton University and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.

“The board should pay general damages to any other public university graduating at least three years prior to the commencement of the Engineers Act, 2011. The said sum shall carry interest at a rate of 12% annum from the date of this judgement,” he said as quoted from The Standard. He further added that the graduates were on no wrong since they had a legitimate expectations of having gainful employment upon completion of their courses, thus they were having their rights being trampled upon by the ERB when it declined to register them.

Is it Worth it?

However some graduates feel that the compensation is definitely not worth the wait and delay. Students under JAB (Joint Admission Board) in Masinde Muliro University for instance pay KES 31, 000 per year on tuition whilst those under SSP (Self Sponsored Program) cough up a cool KES 164, 000 a year on the same. That makes it KES 155,000 to students under JAB for the entire 5 year course, just KES 45,000 shy off the compensation package. On the other hand,self sponsored students pay up KES 820, 000 for the entire 5 year course, four times the compensation package.

Things are not much different at Egerton University, a self sponsored engineering student pays KES 140, 000 per year, thus KES 700,000 in 5 years. Those under JAB pay KES 21,500 per year, therefore KES 107,500 in 5 years.

The court has also directed the board to publish in newspapers within 14 days an advertisement, inviting applications from students who graduated prior to September 14, 2012 for consideration as graduate engineers, saying that ERB had no mandate to regulate engineering courses at public universities.

The board which had refused to accredit the courses offered at some universities filed court petitions against Moi University, Egerton University , Masinde Muliro University and the Commission for Higher Education (CHE), which have since been dismissed by the court.