ENGINEERS professional body has defended a decision by the Engineers Registration Board not to enlist the engineers from Masinde Muliro and Egerton universities.

In October, the High Court overruled the engineers' regulatory body and accused it of overstepping its mandate to examine degree programmes offered by the universities. The court awarded Sh2 billion to 10,000 engineering graduates, who been denied registration by board.

Justice Majanja ordered the board to pay general damages assessed at Sh200,000 to each of the Egerton University and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology students.

Yesterday, the Institution of Engineers of Kenya in a paid up advert, described the ruling not only a threat to the engineering profession but also to other regulated professions.

"How does the ruling go ahead and award a graduate in the streets what he never asked for in the first place. Even one must participate in a raffle top win," said the institute.

The body has called on IEK members, academic institutions of higher learning and the public to support the Engineers Registration Board to ensure standards are not compromised by those who do not understand what it means to train as an engineer.

The ruling further threatens the recognition of the engineering profession in the international area, the body said. It also called on the public to conduct due diligence and check on the respective regulators requirements for any programmes before signing up for training in any academic institutions.

"This knowledge will help you avoid 'degree mills' or other institutions that grant degrees without providing quality education," IEK warned.

IEK complain could mean that ERB has given up on fight, but looks determined to enlist the public and other bodies to intensify scrutiny of learning programmes offered in our academic institutions.