“In partnership with the Limuru Sub-County security team, it has closed the ‘Initiative for Skills Empowerment’ college in Tigoni.
The institution was operating illegally without registration, in total breach of the TVET Act CAP 210A,” stated TVETA.
The authority noted that the closure is part of an ongoing crackdown targeting unlicensed training institutions in Kiambu and Machakos counties.
The operation aims to protect students from exploitation and to ensure compliance with national training standards.
According to TVETA, the programme initially began as a donor-funded initiative intended to provide free skills training to young people.
However, the project is said to have been taken over by a Community Based Organization (CBO), which altered its original purpose.
The regulatory body revealed that the new operators began charging fees for various courses despite lacking the capacity to offer legitimate training.
“They began charging fees for courses like Plumbing and Hairdressing, but with NO qualified tutors, NO curriculum, and NO training facilities,” TVETA confirmed.
The authority further disclosed that the institution failed to meet the minimum requirements set under the TVET Act, including accreditation, qualified instructors, and proper infrastructure to support technical training.
Students enrolled at the college have been left devastated after discovering that the certificates they were working towards were not recognised.
TVETA said the documents issued by the institution were invalid and could not be used for employment or further studies.