The government is preparing a policy to guide Recognition of Prior Learning in partnership with various industries and learning institutions, Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Education in charge of Technical Vocational Training Institutes (TVETs) Dr Esther Thaara Muoria has said.
However, the PS assured those with various skills but lacked documentation that some guide on recognition of the prior learning was available and some Kenyans have already been assessed and issued with requisite certificates.
TVETs, she clarified would continue to the pillars of the strengthening of a foundation towards future and successful recognition of prior learning among Kenyan in all fields and there was need for regional partnerships to attract assessing experts and teams.
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In an interview in a local TV station, Dr. Muoria said, “As a government we are already working with Kenya National Qualifications Authority KNQA and industries to fast tract recognition of prior learning to make assessment on applicants before offering them certificates.”
The PS said that the work of assessing prior learning was tedious where due diligence was required hence the decision by the government to fully incorporate experts from the government and the private sector.
She said that under the present package the cost for assessing skills held by any applicant cost KSh25, 000 and could take between a few hours to two days depending on documents presented to assessing teams by candidates.
“It will require applicants to pay KSh25,00 to be assessed and have their technical and practical skills recognized,” said the PS while clarifying that partnerships with various industries and even commercial banks had been incorporated to ensure those with financial constraints also benefited.
“We have brought together partners in the private sector and especially industries and Banks such as the Kenya Commercial Bank who are willing to pay for those who lack funds although we appreciate that most of those seeking recognition were from the Jua Kali sector where they also earn good incomes,” he added.
The prior knowledge recognition packages are presently being initiated and expanded across all the counties including pastoralist areas to ensure that Kenyans with basic technical and other skills but lacked required academic papers are not left out.
She however, challenged young Kenyans with various skills but lacked basic papers to come up and make applications so as to take advantage of jobs in the government and the private sector where with recognised skills and documents, pay packages are better.
The PS expressed confidence that the RPL programme would succeed given that registered groups in the Jua Kali sector had joined the government and are sponsoring young artisans for assessment, prior skills’ recognition and final issuance of certification.
Employers, the PS advised should also work with the government and the relevant authorities to ensure they first validate certificates presented to them by job seekers to eradicate use of fake academic certificates.
By Robert Nyagah,
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