Although the recommendation contained in the Kenya Anti-Corruption's (KACC's) National Anti-Corruption Plan to actively involve educational institutions in the fight against corruption is laudable, the introduction of anti-corruption modules in the curricula as envisaged by the plan is not enough to achieve its objectives, argues Miss Rose Catacutan, a business and ethics lecturer at Strathmore University.

The lecturer's views are contained in a paper titled 'The Role of Universities in the Fight against Corruption' which she presented at the 7th Business Ethics Network Africa Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia early August.

"In the plan, corruption is conceptualized as a technical problem that can be addressed by providing people certain skills to fight it. Participants are taught how to prosecute, detect and investigate corruption," she wrote.

"This approach is inadequate because it does not take into account the fact that corruption is primarily a moral problem. Corrupt practices are carried out by individuals who act on the basis of morally wrong convictions," she added.

"It is therefore necessary to put emphasis on the need for moral convictions and not just techniques in the fight against corruption. And convictions are transmitted through education, not instruction," she observed.

In her opinion, Newman's idea of a university can provide valuable insights to understand the role of the universities in the fight against corruption. For Newman, a university is a place where men are educated and not merely instructed. Its identity consists in imparting what he termed as a "liberal" education, and for this reason Newman considers the teaching of philosophy as key to university studies.

In the paper, Miss Catacutan argues that philosophy courses offered at university level can be a powerful means in shaping the minds of young people to aspire for a more just society. For instance, moral philosophy as applied in economic activity or business ethics can help to educate students in justice.

The university can also reinforce the students' understanding of justice in its theoretical foundations by organizing programmes that foster solidarity with the less fortunate members of society. These activities serve as an eye opener for the students to the harsh living conditions that their fellow citizens go through.

hey also stimulate students to become agents of change in their communities. Ms Catacutan said Strathmore University complements its ethics programmes with community projects.