The Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) has shut
down a college in Tigoni, alleging the establishment provided ‘fraudulent
education and invalid certificates’.
According to an official statement, the institution, which ran an Initiative
for Skills Empowerment program, was closed collaboratively with the Limuru
Sub-County security team for violating the TVET Act, CAP 210A.
“Working alongside the Limuru Sub-County security team, we have shut down the
‘Initiative for Skills Empowerment’ college in Tigoni. This institution was
functioning without proper registration, directly contravening the TVET Act CAP
210A,” confirmed TVETA.
TVETA is currently implementing enforcement measures in Kiambu and Machakos
counties against schools operating without proper authorization.
The college’s regulatory body notes that the initiative initially started as
a donor-supported initiative offering free vocational skills to youth, but
subsequently fell under the control of a Community Based Organization (CBO)
TVETA reports that “They started collecting payments for courses such as
Plumbing & Hairdressing, despite having NO qualified instructors, NO established
curriculum, and NO proper training infrastructure.”
The educational authority additionally discloses that students were deeply
distressed upon discovering their credentials were not authentic.
They had been tricked into paying for courses that supposedly would be
“validated externally,” a practice TVETA clarified that “those qualifications
carry no official recognition.”
Kiambu County Deputy County Commissioner Harrison Mutevwa, who directed
the operation, instructed the institution to promptly leave the public property
it had been utilizing and cautioned local officials for permitting such
arrangements.
The closure occurs shortly after TVETA faced public attention due to a
distinct situation with the Kenya Institute of Management (KIM), which had been
held accountable for delivering unapproved programs, resulting in the invalidation
of all certificates issued since 2018.
Following this incident, TVETA’s Compliance Head Paul Wanyeki advised
affected individuals to seek legal remedies, noting that recourse options
are available for students who were deceived into paying for substandard
educational programs.
He also reminded TVET students nationwide to practice thorough verification,
by “Always confirming whether an institution is registered on our official
platform before admission.”
The agency indicates that the Tigoni closure represents a wider national
enforcement initiative, with educational establishments granted a 21-day window
to comply with regulations or face potential closure.