Students and parents have been advised to take extra caution when applying to institutions of higher learning.
Speaking to a local media station, the business development manager at Kenya Institute of Professional Studies(KIPS) Technical College Shephard Mburu cautioned this section of stakeholders against applying to non-accredited institutions.
Mburu further noted that with an increase in institutions and a scramble for few available slots, chances of being duped are high.
The manager further highlighted the need to verify college accreditations, to avoid falling victim to scammers.
Some of the ways to verify institutions include;
Checking With the TVET Authority Portal
The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) website provides information on lists of accredited institutions, accredited trainers, and standards required for both trainers and institutions offering educational services.
Do a Background Check on the Institution
Students are advised to conduct a background search of institutions they are interested in, to ascertain their legitimacy.
“Even by looking at their website, you can tell that it’s a class set-up. This institution, who are they, where are they, and what do they offer,” Mburu advised.
Physically Visit the institution
A physical visit to an institution is important as one can verify that whatever is communicated via websites or advertisements is indeed what is on the ground.
“If you are visiting an institution, they are sometimes shy to show facilities and workshops available, that is sometimes an eye-opener that it might not be genuine,” he cautioned.
Over 680,000 students who missed out on university are set to join technical and vocational education and training institutions across the country.
The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Services (KUCCPS) in a statement released on January 11 advised applicants to only use KUCCPS official channels to submit their application for TVET courses.
"For TVET application payment, please use the account number provided for payment to submit your application," read part of the statement.
