Thirteen mid-level colleges have been closed in a three-day countrywide crackdown by the technical and vocational training authority.
The closure followed several notices issued last January,
advising institutions to apply for registration and accreditation according to TVETA
Act 2013.
Official Kipkirui Langat
noted the exercise was done to bring sanity to the sector and ensure quality training that will lead to skilled and employable graduates.
He is the director general of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority.
“The closure was done because it had come to the attention of the authority that a number of institutions were yet to comply with the law,"
Langat told a press briefing in Nairobi on Thursday.
He said they had been receiving complaints from the public on
institutions that offer internal certificates, and
inquiries
from prospective employers.
Among institutions closed in Nairobi were Technical Institute, Regional Institute of Business Management, Bonjour Institute, Cefored Institute of Relief and Development and East African College.
Others were Pinnacle Business School, Summit Institute of professionals, Bell Institute of Technology and Crownways Institute.
The rest were
Royal College of Science and Technology - Ruiru, Kericho Technical Institute, Patana Institute - Mombasa and Vihomi College in Kisumu.
So far 74 out of 781 TVET institutions inspected, with an enrollment of almost 1,500 trainers, have been denied registration for not meeting minimum standards.
The operation, which was also carried out with the Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board, also led to the revocation of the lab programme in 12 colleges.
Board chairman Abel Onyango noted the colleges have been stopped from offering the course because of a lack of governance structure and teaching staff.
They were also admitting students without meeting minimum KCSE entry requirements.
Onyango said the board will not license students from such institutions to practise.
“This is the reason we have so many quacks who end up endangering patients, we need to flush them out," He said.