The Ministry of Education has been challenged by academicians to investigate and apprehend rogue researchers in Kisii town, who are allegedly paid by students of various institutions to dish out already ‘carried out’ research.
This comes amid claims that students of both undergraduate and postgraduate levels were soft targets of rogue researchers, who had established businesses in Kisii town to defraud aspiring academicians.
Led by Prof Anakalo Shitandi, who is in charge of research and extension at Kisii University, they said the quality of education in institutions of higher learning was under threat from individuals who had little or no idea on research.
“The reason why universities are unique is because of indepth research in fields that needs further exploration. However, things are not right because students are easily lured to paying rogue researchers when writing their academic papers,” Anakalo said.
“The quality of varsity education is deteriorating because of these rogue researchers. There is need for the Ministry of Education to deal with this menace before it escalates,” said Prof Philip Owino.
Speaking at Mash Park hotel in Kisii town on Monday, they also asked institutions of higher learning to come up with stringent measures to deal with plagiarism and academic theft as a way of curbing the predicament.
“As much as it is the ministry of education to come up with tougher policies, it is also an obligation of institutions to come up with strict rules in bid to curb the menace,” Anakalo said.