KNQA to Recognize Non-Formal Learning
The Kenyan government is preparing to implement a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy for targeted groups across the country.
The Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) will guide the implementation process, and the Ministry of Education has given the go-ahead for the policy to be rolled out in two months.
The RPL process is used to identify, assess, and certify a person’s knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired outside formal learning settings, such as work or life experiences, against prescribed standards or learning outcomes.
KNQA’s acting CEO, Dr Alice Kande, said the critical building blocks of RPL had already been established, including the regulatory framework, institutional framework, quality assurance, stakeholder involvement, and a framework on financing.
She also noted that multi-sectoral and multi-agency initiatives, which began three years ago, aimed at establishing a functional RPL system had borne significant progress.
The RPL programme is expected to attract beneficiaries interested in getting their skills and knowledge certified, with a massive uptake anticipated due to a large number of people expressing an interest in RPL.
The government is committed to supporting the RPL programme through funding and involving the private sector.
The Ministry of Education will explore alternative mechanisms of facilitating access to RPL through established institutions such as the Higher Education Loans Board.
The government will embark on a public awareness campaign to ensure people understand RPL, especially those who have acquired skills outside formal learning.
The aim is to ensure that those who have acquired skills outside formal learning gain recognition and can even move upwards academically, both nationally and internationally.
The Ministry of Education will be looking into ways to facilitate accessibility to RPL, possibly by introducing some form of loans even as it leverages support from key partners such as the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Overall, the Kenyan government is set to introduce an RPL policy that will recognise and certify the skills and knowledge acquired outside formal learning settings.
The policy aims to provide a pathway for people who have not followed traditional learning routes to be acknowledged and provided with opportunities to grow both nationally and internationally.
KNQA to Recognize Non-Formal Learning
