Nursing Council of Kenya Issues Stern Warning Against Unaccredited Nursing Courses

The Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) has issued a public caution against enrolling in unaccredited nursing and midwifery programs, specifically calling out the African International Technical College for advertising and offering nursing-related courses without the council’s approval.

The warning, outlined in an official announcement, underscores the council’s commitment to upholding high standards in nursing education and practice across the country.

According to the NCK, only institutions with its explicit approval are authorized to offer nursing and midwifery training programs in Kenya.

The council emphasized that courses lacking this accreditation fail to meet required training and professional standards, potentially jeopardizing the quality of healthcare delivery.

“Any course offered without NCK’s approval is NOT recognized and DOES NOT meet the required standards of training and professional practice,” the announcement stated.

The NCK highlighted that the African International Technical College is operating in violation of Section 21 of the Nurses and Midwives Act CAP 257 Laws of Kenya.

This legal provision stipulates that conducting nursing training without council approval is an offense, punishable by a fine of up to Ksh.500,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both upon conviction.

In its statement, the council also clarified that Nurse Aid, Nursing Assistant, and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) training programs are not recognized by the NCK.

The NCK urged students and guardians to verify the accreditation status of institutions before enrolling in any nursing or midwifery programs.

It directed the public to visit its official website (https://nckenya.com/approved-training-institutions/) for a list of approved institutions as of October 28, 2024.

“We urge prospective students and their guardians to be on the look-out and verify the accreditation status of any institution before enrolling,” the council advised.

The council further cautioned that it will not be held liable for damages arising from reliance on unverified information or enrollment in unaccredited programs. It encouraged the public to report any concerns or seek clarification by contacting the NCK via email at [email protected] or [email protected].