Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has announced that 60,000 skilled workers without formal education have been certified through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme.

Prof Kindiki said the programme will officially recognise informal skills to ensure youth secure employability and thrive in an increasingly competitive global market.

“Under the Recognition of Prior Learning programme, skilled Kenyans who have no certificates are being recognised and issued with certificates by government accredited institutions to help them in their search for jobs,” he said.

The DP explained that the RPL is part of the reforms in the education system to keep up with the needs and trends of the industry and increasing the chances of youths finding opportunities.

“The traditional job market has changed. Schools that have been producing graduates who are less useful to industry are now under reorganization to align with industry needs,” said Prof Kindiki during the send-off of 300 young people to Qatar who were recruited through the pubic mass recruitment.

 “We are working now with our TVET institutions and other training institutions to recognise some of these skills and accredit them based on global and internationally accepted standards in the industry,” he added.

As part of the plan to upskill the youth for the competitive market, the DP said some 6,170 coxswains have also been trained.

“We have 272 Information Communication Technology (ICT) hubs set up across Kenya to establish a platform for digital jobs such as content creators and software developers,” he said.

Kindiki said that the Affordable Housing Program has created opportunities for industrial-based training and certification for masons, plumbers, and carpenters.

The RPL programme, which is implemented by the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) is also aimed at promoting inclusivity and equity among their marginalised groups like refugees, women, and informal sector workers.

KNQA Chief Executive Officer Alice Kande noted that the informal sector in Kenya employs more than 83 per cent of the workforce and RPL effectively tackles the severe shortage of quality and relevantly skilled workforce,

Dr Kande cited the assessment and certification of over 120 employees of Base Titanium in Kwale County by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) as a demonstration of effectiveness of RPL to employers.

“The goal is to have a workforce that is inclusive, competent, and equipped with esteem through the acquired credentials. RPL hopes to enhance access to higher learning, especially for marginalised groups and those disadvantaged in one way or the other,” she said.

Further, the CEO noted that 92 per cent of youths with unrecognised competencies will be reduced to half by the time RPL is fully in play.

To fully support RPL beneficiaries and candidates, Dr Kande revealed that a special system called the Credit Accumulation Transfer System (KCATs) has been created to helps determine the credits for skills and knowledge gained through work and other practical experiences.

The KNQA boss emphasised that the ability to certify individuals based on their demonstrated skills, regardless of how, where, or when they gained their experiences, offers a unique approach to education in Kenya, which can also influence the rest of Africa.

“The formal education systems and training continue to face challenges due to their rigid systems and broad scope of courses, as the workplace continues changing towards highly specialized arrow skills for effectiveness,” she said.

To cement RPL further, Kande said Kenya is collaborating with key RPL players in Africa including the South Africa’s and Angola’s Qualifications Authorities which are equivalent of KNQA, to brace for labor market demands in the region and world over.