Hundreds of prospective students who had enrolled in a private college in Eldoret City lost money, running into millions of shillings, after it emerged that the institution was not registered by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA). 

Some of the distraught students reported having enrolled for certificate and diploma courses in nursing, dental and care-giving at the Medprime College.  

More than 200 students held a demonstration to Eldoret police station demanding a refund of the fees they had paid to the proprietor of the institution. 

This was after they discovered that the college which has been charging between Sh50,000 and Sh170, 000 per student was not appropriately registered. 

“Our parents have sold animals and maize to raise fees demanded by the college and we are disappointed to learn what we thought was training college has turned out to be a scheme to siphon money from us,” said one of the female students who declined to be named. 

The students disrupted learning programmes at the college, which is located on the fifth floor of Sirgoi House within the city’s Central Business District, as members of the public watched the unfolding drama from a distance. 

Directors and tutors at the college were forced to abandon lecturer halls and flee on foot for fear of being attacked by the irate youth who were matching along the town streets. 

“As you can see, I have been left alone in the office as my boss has left for an unknown place,” a receptionist told the journalists who had sought to talk to the branch manager. 

Uasin Gishu Police Commander Benjamin Mwanthi said detectives have launched investigations into the activities of the college in the wake of the protests over the institution’s status.  

He asked the students to record their statements with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers ahead of summoning of the college’s top leadership to also pen down their statements on the matter. 

“We have started investigations on the complaints raised by the students concerning operation of the institute in Eldoret City,” said Mwanthi.