Govt Officials and Private Sector Leaders Among 100,000 Graduates Affected by KIM Closure

The Kenya Institute of Management (KIM) leadership is currently engaging the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) following the notice of closure of the 13 campuses of KIM on April 20.

TVETA flagged the institution for offering unrecognized qualifications and barred it from continuing its training activities.

It has since been established that 10,000 students are currently enrolled in the institute’s programs, and over 100,000 alumni, among the government officials and leaders in the private sector, who have graduated since 2018, now face an uncertain future.

John Ojiji, a student at the KIM campus in Kisumu, has called upon the institute to make administrative alignment.

Speaking to the press on Tuesday, April 21, Ojiji pleaded with the TVETA and KIM to resolve the issue soon to prevent further frustration from learners and parents who have already paid for the courses and are awaiting graduation.

Additionally, Ojiji explained that the competence of the learners in the institution was undisputed, and all students will remain united until every student’s certificate is validated and the classroom is legally secured.

“Our competence is undisputed, and our collective voice is powerful. We are encouraged by our work in progress, currently being undertaken by the key management to resolve these statutory hurdles. We are at the table, and we will stay at the table until every student certificate is validated and every classroom is legally secured,” John Ojiji noted.

Also Read: KIM Responds After Govt Ordered Closure of Its Campuses

KIM Management Action On Closure

The Executive Director of KIM, Murithii Ndegwa, explained that the institution was actively engaging with TVETA, as the directive to close left thousands of students vulnerable.

According to Ndegwa, the TVETA decision would affect people in government, the private sector,  NGOs, and holders of KIM diploma certificates.

He, however, explained that the institution is not completely closed and that students who are not taking TVETA courses are still learning.

Ndegwa also stated that there have been changes in the education sector, including the abolition of the Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council (CDACC) and the transfer of curriculum functions to the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).

Additionally, the examination functions were transferred to the Kenya  National Examination Council (KNEC).

The changes were, however, later reversed, and the Kenya Institute of Management has in the past offered CDACC programs and is currently on the platform to offer them, according to Murithii Ndegwa.

“There were some upheavals in the education sector a couple of years ago when CDACC was abolished, and its functions were transferred to KICD, Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, for curriculum matters, and examination was passed on to KNEC. And then after that was reversed. And so, as KIM, we have offered CDACC programs in the past. As we speak, even today, we are actually on, we were actually on the platform of offering CDACC programs,” Murithii Ndegwa stated.

Also Read: KIM Confirms Diploma and Certificate Courses Are Affected by Closure, Lists Unaffected Services

Affected Programs

In clarification of the TVETA closure notice, KIM’s management explained that the matter affected students under the TVET-regulated academic programs and was limited to the institutions’ diploma and certificate courses.

Additionally, the institute stated that membership services remained active and the ongoing certification programs were valid.

Further corporate training and the flagship Company of the Year Awards (COYA) will proceed as scheduled earlier.