Kenya National Qualifications Authority(KNQA) Director General Alice Kande has underscored the critical role that the Recognition of Prior Learning policy (RPL) that is being implemented in the country will play in addressing unemployment in Kenya.
According to Kande, the development and the national roll-out of the RPL policy is paramount in recognising diverse skills and competencies regardless of when, where and how they are acquired against prescribed standards or learning outcomes.
“The policy is timely as it came at a time when the country is experiencing youth bulge with 29 per cent of the population aged 18-34 years,” Kande said.
She said if the youth are gainfully engaged in economic and social activities for national development then they can be a force for a positive future.
Kande said RPL gives a critical segment of the population wings to fly through certification of competencies that they demonstrate.
Additionally, Kande noted that RPL also offers opportunities to marginalised communities including refugees and asylum seekers.
"Kenya currently hosts over 600,000 refugees and asylum seekers majority hailing from Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Sudan and Ethiopia," Kande said.
She said most of these refugees and migrants have vast experience and skills, while some have professional qualifications which are not recognised.
Kande said the RPL system is critical in making such competencies visible.
She said over 900 individuals have already been assessed during the piloting phase of the RPL policy.
"We envisage that over 10,000 individuals shall be assessed per year through RPL and importantly ensure that they are linked to the labour market so that they can benefit from decent and gainful employment," the KNQA boss said.
She said it is a key policy initiative that will address the paradox of skills mismatch and unemployability in the country.