The Executive Governing Council of the Kenya National Association of Private Colleges (KENAPCO) today paid a courtesy call to the TVET Authority (TVETA), during which they presented a memorandum to the Acting Director General, Mr. Timothy Nyongesa Katiambo, outlining key issues affecting private TVET institutions and the TVET sector at large.
Led by the Chairperson, Dr. Ekrah Ndungu, the KENAPCO delegation highlighted concerns over the duplication of regulatory roles by State agencies and professional bodies, noting that multiple layers of regulation have placed an undue burden on institutions. In their memorandum, KENAPCO proposed that TVETA be designated as the sole regulator for the accreditation of TVET institutions and programmes.
KENAPCO also raised concerns regarding the TVETA Annual Quality Assurance fee of KSh 500 per trainee enrolled, proposing that the fee be based on graduating trainees, citing cases where some learners do not complete their courses.
In response, the Acting Director General informed the meeting that the Government is actively addressing the overlap of regulatory roles, particularly in the medical training field, and that a clear framework on programme regulation, accreditation, and certificate equation will be issued in due course.
The Acting Director General emphasized that payment of the Annual Quality Assurance fee is a legal requirement, noting that the funds enable the Authority to effectively discharge its quality assurance mandate. He reaffirmed TVETA’s commitment to working closely with all TVET institutions to enhance compliance and quality.
Mr. Katiambo further urged KENAPCO to ensure that all member institutions offer only accredited programmes, and that institutions with multiple branches obtain the necessary licenses prior to commencing operations. He also emphasized that curricula offered in partnership with foreign awarding bodies must be approved by TVETA before implementation.
The meeting agreed to continue engaging through consultative forums to address emerging issues and strengthen collaboration between the Authority and private TVET institutions.
Members of the KENAPCO delegation included Mr. Evans Omwoyo (Treasurer), Prof. Evans Kerosi, Ms. Elecah Mbiti, Mr. Felix Kyengo, and Mr. Nelson Kemboi.
The TVETA team present included Dr. Osawa Otta (Research), Ms. Bibian Otieno (Outreach), Mr. Peter Bor (Accreditation), Mr. Andrew Too (Office of the Director General), and Mr. James Momanyi (Corporate Communications).