Alice Kande, Acting DG, KNQA
By: John Kariuki
In keeping with the Administration’s Bottom Up-Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), Cabinet considered and approved the Policy on Recognition of Prior Learning in Kenya. The approval by Cabinet was the last milestone in a process that commenced in the year 2020. By dint of the decision by Cabinet, there is now a functional and credible system for recognition of knowledge, skills, and competencies that have been acquired through practical work but which are not supported by corresponding academic or institutional qualifications.
Therefore the prior learning policy is the bridge to facilitate transition from informality to formality as well as facilitating multi entry/exit between the education system and the labour market. This seminal move is anticipated to open up a bountiful frontier of new opportunities for the millions of Hustlers who are the lifeblood of the Kenyan economy.
Late last year a parliamentary committee urged the Ministry of Education to accelerate the implementation of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy, which aims to acknowledge skilled workers in the informal sector who lack formal academic documents.
Members of the National Assembly’s Education Committee, chaired by Hon. Julius Melly (Tinderet), noted that many young people in the country possess valuable skills through both formal and informal ways but lack certification to put them into practice.
“We have very good mechanics, plumbers, masons, and other artisan workers without academic documents. These people need to be recognized and certified to practice as per the RPL policy guidelines. What is taking so long?” posed Hon Melly.
The Committee chairperson, who spoke during a meeting with Dr. Esther Muoria, the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Technical, Vocational Education, and Training, emphasized that language scores or academic certificates should not be barriers to recognizing skilled individuals in the Juakali sector.
Addressing the concerns, Acting Director-General of KNQA, Alice Kande, who was part of the officials accompanying the Principal Secretary, explained that the RPL policy has been tested in selected institutions and will soon be expanded.
Kande stated, “We have thousands of skilled workers who do not have certified certificates, but under the new policy, their skills will be recognized and issued with certificates after a short training,” she said , revealing that 92 per cent of youths in the country have unrecognised competencies acquired through formal and informal means.
Ms Kande explained that the validation of the revised draft policy reflects the government’s commitment to excellence and societal improvement.
“The policy aims to include in the national qualifications database the skills and competencies that have not been formally acknowledged, assessed, and certified.”
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