Why our university lecturers should have more than PHD

The University of Eldoret lecturer who was recently captured making controversial political remarks in class has provoked a conversation that goes beyond him or the politics involved.

I am less interested in the lecturer's political views than in the professional question raised by what happened in that lecture hall. Specifically, who teaches our university students and what preparation does that person receive for the task of teaching?

In Kenya, just like in many countries, the traditional route towards becoming a lecturer is often through academic and disciplinary qualifications. One becomes a lecturer because he has acquired the requisite degree (preferably a doctorate), demonstrated scholarship, published research and accumulated experience required by the institution. In most cases, the requirements are not that stringent.

The big question is, where in that journey does one learn how to teach or espouse professional ethics in the process of disseminating scholarly knowledge? Being an accomplished economist, lawyer, historian, scientist, or political scientist does not automatically make one a good teacher in content delivery or ethical conduct.

A lecturer must know how to manage a classroom, facilitate discussion, distinguish teaching from advocacy, handle disagreement, respect diversity among the students, set appropriate boundaries, deal with sensitive subjects and recognise the power relationship between him/her and students.

Therefore, a lecturer needs much more than a mastery of a subject. He or she needs more grounding in ethics and practice of teaching. Universities should require new academic staff to undergo structured training in higher education teaching before, or within a defined period after appointment.

In England, higher education lecturers are recruited based on their academic qualifications. However, they are expected to undertake a teaching qualification after joining the profession.

The UK's Advance Higher Education has also developed the Professional Standards Framework, which provides professional standards for teaching and supporting…