CUEA: Training of Catholic University Staff Geared Towards Transformation of the Institute
Vice Chancellor of CUEA Very Rev. Prof. Stephen Mbugua Ngari
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
At an induction for the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) staff on various management policies, some of which recently been approved by the University Board, has taken place, with the intent of bringing transformation for effective and efficient management in the institute.
Management has been working to ensure that the Institute which has faced various challenges in the past, come up with better and practical strategies that can help bring transformation not only to the management body, but also to the entire CUEA family including staff and students.
“Since we began the transformation journey in 2018, the process has revolved around work ethics, work load matters and efficiency in service delivery, professionalism, Catholic identity, financial administration and liability management,” the Vice Chancellor (VC) of CUEA Very Rev. Prof. Stephen Mbugua Ngari narrated during an interview with AMECEA Online Monday, January 17.
He continued, “In the course of transformation, we have had various trainings for Deans, Directors and Head of Departments (HOD’s) among others, to sensitize them on the transformation plan and seek their opinion on the same.”
Fr. Mbugua acknowledged that the transformation document being worked on currently, is “a product of consultative interaction between the University’s management and the entire CUEA family.”
Expounding on areas of concentration during the two-day induction workshop that brought together about 500 both teaching and non-teaching staff, Prof. Mbugua who doubles as the Rector of the University said the training emphasized on the University’s corporate culture where the staff were enlightened on the core values of the institute.
These include “Witness of life, prayer, truthfulness, honesty, excellence, commitment and competence” and also reminded of their purpose of serving at CUEA which is mainly to help the organization realize its vision of being, “a world-class University producing transformative leaders for Church and Society.”
In his observation, Prof. Fr. Mbugua disclosed that even though the staff have the policy manuals at their disposal, many of them do not read to understand what is expected of them hence the training conducted from 13 to 14 January at CUEA, was to give the entire staff of the University direction and guidelines on certain critical performances so that all may read from the same script.
“We trained the staff on various policies that have been developed including: Cohort management policy, quality management policy systems, CUEA’s human resource policies and procedure manual, student recruitment policy, students handbook, child protection policy, sexual offences policy together with drug and substance policy, performance management and procedure for launching claims and movement of assets,” Fr. Mbugua enumerated.
He narrated that the University needs the sexual offences, drugs and subsistence abuse policy since it has vulnerable adults and “because of various levels of power, someone can take advantage of that power to exploit others.”
Additionally, the cleric emphasized that the staff are expected to “comply with the policies and embrace them since they have a working framework to safeguard the entire University, the students and all the staff.”
Even though most policies have been developed the VC said, “Whenever we realize there are some gaps or when there is need, we will always come up with the needed policy to help facilitate continued transformation and uphold our Catholic identity.”
A team from CUEA main campus in Nairobi is expected to carry out a similar training to staff at its Gaba campus in Eldoret diocese.
