The Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority has issued a notice cautioning students and parents about the rising number of illegal colleges and the certificates they issue.
In the notice issued on Tuesday, the 10th of March, the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority stated that there is a growing number of training institutions that lack the authority to issue certificates but continue to enroll students and award them certificates.
However, the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority emphasizes that the only institutions that have the authority to offer training and award certificates recognized in the country are the ones that have been accredited by the authority or other recognized qualification awarding bodies.
“The Authority has observed a growing number of training institutions without a legal mandate to issue certificates, deceiving the public by granting internal certificates,” the notice from the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority states.
The Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority has announced the list of approved learning institutions that have the authority to examine students and award certificates. This list can be accessed on the authority’s official website.
These include 34 national polytechnics, 1,807 technical and vocational colleges, and 1,216 vocational training centers.
Among the recognized national polytechnics in the country are the Kenya Coast National Polytechnic, Kisumu National Polytechnic, Sigalagala National Polytechnic, Kabete National Polytechnic, Nairobi National Polytechnic, Eldoret National Polytechnic, North Eastern National Polytechnic, and Rift Valley National Polytechnic, among others.
This comes at a time when the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service has started the intake of students in TVET institutions for students who sat their KCSE exams between 2000 and 2025.
However, the agency has clarified that the TVET Act provides that the institution must be approved by the TVETA before offering any training and awarding certificates.
The agency has also clarified that no private TVET institution can assess students and award nationally recognized certificates unless they are properly authorized by law.
Students and even the employer are encouraged to always inquire and confirm the accreditation status of the institution before enrolling in any institution and accepting any certificate. TVETA has stated that any institution found deceiving the public and awarding unapproved certificates will be taken through the relevant channels.