Govt to Assess & Certify All Employees in the Informal Sector

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Education CS Prof. George Magoha during the launch of Ksh 1.9B school desk project on September 17, 2020
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Education CS Prof. George Magoha during the launch of Ksh 1.9B school desk project on September 17, 2020
Capital Group

Kenyans in the Jua Kali industry without formal training will soon benefit from a certification program by the government through the Kenya National Qualifications Authority(KNQA).

According to the KNQA, a technical team is working on finer details of the certification that will see work experience evaluated and rewarded under the recognition of prior learning program. This will see the inclusion of more people into the labor market from the informal sector.

"Within the government, the law, policies, and the KNQA framework Act allows the assessment and certification of the skills of artisans despite not acquiring them in classrooms," said Dr.Juma Mukhwana the CEO of KNQA.

File image of Jua Kali artisans at work
File image of Jua Kali artisans at work
File

Beginning in August, carpenters, masons, mechanics, plumbers, salonists without any formal training will be assessed and recognized. Their work experience will be evaluated and rewarded in recognition of the prior learning program.

They will be required to upload their profile including the portfolio on an online system capturing their range of work through pictorials and videos accompanied by recommendation letters and testimonials.

"The aim of this system is to support Kenyans, our people to get certification for skills that they have acquired on the job so that they can use them to develop our economy, progress their careers, go back to class, go across the borders to work outside Kenya," added Mukhwan

Ahead of the official program rollout in August, KNQA through a technical committee will create procedures to implement the recognition of the Prior Learning Policy.

The technical steering committee comprises representatives from the Technical and Vocational Education Training Authority (TVET), Curriculum Development Assessment and Certification Council, National Industrial Training Institute (NITA), Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), Kenya National Federation of Jua Kali Association (KNFJA) , Kenya Engineering Technology Registration Board (KETRB), Refugee Secretariat and Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU).

Ten levels of qualifications and standards that will facilitate the smooth progress of artisans from the lowest level of recognition have been developed. Artisans certificate qualification will be issued at level four, craft certificate at level five which will allow for a diploma certification at level six. A degree will be issued at level seven with Masters' and Ph.D. at level eight and Nine respectively.

KNQA DG Dr Juma Mukhwana (left) with the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) DG, Prof. Walter Oyawa
KNQA DG Dr Juma Mukhwana (left) with the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) DG, Prof. Walter Oyawa