Hasten law school probe

EDITORIAL

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The Senate investigation into the reported perennial mass failure at the Kenya School of Law (KSL) is a welcome response to a problem that has gone on for far too long.

It is unbelievable that this has persisted for eight years at this vital institution for training legal professionals.

Is it that the Bar examination has become too difficult or is there a mismatch between what is taught at universities and at the KSL?

Interestingly, the Law Society of Kenya is also investigating the matter, an indication that there is, indeed, a serious problem here.

The Justice and Legal Affairs Committee has launched an investigation following a petition by two individuals, who claim that the number of failures in the KSL exams has been increasing, frustrating law graduates hoping to practise as advocates.

The committee and the public, no doubt, expect answers from the Council for Legal Education, under whose ambit the KSL operates.

Attracting attention is the marking of exams, where tidy sums are charged for remarking and resitting papers — Sh15,000 and Sh10,000, respectively.

The probe should determine whether students are deliberately failed to create money-minting avenues.

There is a need for a thorough inquiry to establish whether there are professional shortcomings in the training.

And that will be crucial, as some senators have pointed out the need to establish whether there is a disconnect between undergraduate law training, the KSL programmes and the setting of exams.

The school is expected to be the anvil for the finishing touches to equip law students with vital skills for legal practice. The investigation must be speeded up to right any wrongs.


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