Nairobi to host forum on recognition of prior learning in October

Jua Kali artisans may have their experience recognised regionally as Nairobi gears to host experts from African countries to deliberate on expansion of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) uptake. 

In a statement, Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) said Nairobi looks forward to welcome 32 participants representing 20 African nations from four regional economic blocs. 

KNQA Director-General, Dr Alice Kande, said that the forum that will run from October 1 to 4 will be presided over by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba. “The four -day forum will examine RPL in lifelong learning policies, theories underpinning RPL, how to do RPL, quality assurance of RPL, RPL process, step-by-step and implementation of RPL in Kenya, its policies and practice,” she said. 

Similarly, Kande noted, the conference will focus on the RPL implementation strategy, as well as the programme’s process and practice. 

Kenya has been on an implementation path of the RPL programme undertaken by KNQA with a nod from the Cabinet in June this year bolstering the move to have skilled workers without formal certificates recognised. 

And the country’s RPL framework, according to Kande, aligns with the region’s African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF).

The project (ACQF-II) that aims at ensuring transparency, comparability and recognition of qualifications, she said, is being implemented by the African Union and the European Training Foundation. 

The first cohort had 900 graduates who undertook the programme churned out in March, 2024 with the government targeting 10,000 new graduates annually.  

Kande said KNAO provides standards of assessing and certifying the skills and competencies acquired through experience.

Domiciled under the Office of the Deputy President, the authority has been tasked with coordinating awareness creation, sensitisation and ensuring capacity building on RPL.

She said “implementation of the policy is a bridge to facilitate transition from informality to formality as well as facilitating multi entry/exit between the education system and the labour market.”

“This  enables our skilled, but uncertified youths to be awarded certificates based on individual competencies expanding their opportunities in employment and advanced learning,’’ she said. 

“This framework brings together Basic Education (BE), Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET), University Education (UE), industrial training and lifelong learning to enable better coordination and harmonization of qualifications across the various sectors,” she added.