Cabinet has approved the Recognition of Prior learning (RPL) policy which seeks to recognize skills from the informal sector in a meeting chaired by President William Ruto recently in Nakuru.
The approval is in keeping with President Ruto’s Bottom Up-Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) that is geared towards economic turnaround and inclusive growth.
“The approval by Cabinet is the milestone in a process that commenced in the year 2020. 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, “reads the Cabinet dispatch released after the meeting.
The development is a major win for hundreds of learners who have completed their assessments and are awaiting graduation.
The Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) with support from the Ministry of Education (MoE) and other stakeholders played a crucial role in the development of the policy.
In welcoming the latest development, KNQA acting Director General Dr Alice Kande said the policy and guidelines will provide standards of assessing and certifying the skills and competencies acquired through experience.
‘’This will enable our skilled but uncertified youths to be awarded certificates based on individual competencies to expand their opportunities in employment and advanced learning,’’ said Dr Kande.
She added that collaboration between industry and academia can create a lively and receptive framework for offering advisory on market-driven courses.
“Industry experts possess real-world insights into the rapidly evolving market trends, skill demands, and emerging technologies. By actively engaging with academic institutions, these experts can provide valuable guidance on curriculum design, ensuring that courses align with the current and future needs of the job market,” she said.
The approval is the culmination of a recommendation by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform (PWPER) that a RPL policy and Credit Accumulation and Transfer Systems (CATS) must be developed.
By our reporter
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