Displaying items by tag: KNQA

Examining the Role of Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA)

Development of National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs) has become a world-wide phenomenon and continues to draw international interest not least in Sub-Saharan Africa, where Kenya has become a trail blazer in the effort to enhance quality and relevance of its education and training sector. The reasons for adoption and implementation of NQFs are many and varied. Most of the countries that have adopted a NQF are concerned with the poor articulation between qualifications and actual skills needs in the workplace; need to rectify the poor credibility and quality of existing qualifications and training programmes and lack of coherence and the rather fragmented nature of the qualifications system. The need for provision for recognition of non-formally acquired skills and facilitating integration of such skills into the formal system - where a large part of the population is evidently excluded from the formal education system or where there is a high number of school dropouts also creates an impetus for adoption of National Qualification Framework. The Frameworks, thus provide a basis for improving the quality, accessibility, linkages and labour market recognition of qualifications within a country and internationally.

Quality Education and Training is as vital as the dissemination of the supposed education itself at all levels. A country whose education and training standards are below par, results to poor values in its work force and lack of the required expertise. Every Educational and Training system or institution for that matter, requires an efficient and proper outline of quality assurance systems that guard the productivity, relevance and clarity in formulating and actualizing the stipulated missions, visions, goals and objectives. This should be in line with the country’s goals as well as the global goals of education and training.  When Quality Assurance organs function well, the training bodies produce qualified personnel to fill the job markets nationally and internationally.

In Kenya, the National Qualifications Framework provides a system for the articulation, classification, registration, quality assurance, and monitoring and evaluation of national qualifications as developed in accordance with KNQF Act. It is underpinned by several national documents such as the Kenya Vision 2030, the Big 4 Agenda, Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2019, Medium Term 111 (2018 - 2022) among others - all of which underscore the need for quality, relevant and globally competitive qualifications for country’s development. These national development plans are also aligned to global development plans such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the AU Agenda 2063 that aim at ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promotion of lifelong opportunities for all.

In the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community, the partner States – where Kenya is a member, adopted an explicit agreement to embark on concerted measures to foster cooperation in education and training in the Community, particularly, in harmonization of education and training systems in the endeavor to promote comparable and compatible qualifications among the partner States. The partner States agreed to co-ordinate their human resources development policies, programmes and also to harmonize curricula, examination, certification and accreditation of education systems and training institutions through the joint action of their relevant national accreditation organs.

The Kenya National Qualifications Authority, (KNQA), plays a significant role in harmonizing, coordinating and most importantly verifying the qualifications awarded by various institutions locally and internationally. This is done in line with meticulous keenness to detail in the structure of the education system and the manner in which the certification and credentials are given. The KNQF describes learning outcomes in form of knowledge, skills and competences gained at each level of the national education and training structure. In doing so, the Authority ensures maintenance of standards, quality and relevance at all levels of education and training sector in the country. The national framework has therefore increased transparency and brought better coordination and harmony in the national education system.

With the implementation of the Kenya National Qualifications Framework, the country addresses key challenges that have previously bedeviled the education system including and not limited to the disconnect between qualifications and actual skills that required in the labour market; production of fraudulent academic certificates; incoherence and fragmentation of the qualification system; and lack of a national database on Qualifications.

The KNQF as a learning outcome-based qualifications framework caters for all education and training sectors and all forms of learning including formal, non-formal and informal learning.  The framework comprises ten qualification levels where each level has clearly defined level descriptors and learning outcomes. This ensures standardization of the requisite knowledge, skills and competencies that are expected in each level as well as minimum admission requirements and volume of learning.

The key roles that KNQA is currently undertaking include:

A) DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL POLICIES ON QUALITY ASSURANCE OF QUALIFICATIONS.
The KNQF Act No 22 of 2014 gives KNQA the mandate to co-ordinate and supervise the development of policies on national qualifications in order to strengthen the national quality assurance system on Qualifications. It does this through establishment of Standards for recognizing qualifications that are obtained locally and from foreign institutions; developing a system of competence, life-long learning and attainment of national qualifications; aligning the qualifications obtained locally with the global benchmarks in order to promote national and trans-national mobility of workers; and facilitating mobility and progression within education, training and career paths. The Authority collaborates with the Education sector regulators, Qualification Awarding Institutions and other sector players to ensure effective implementation of the national qualifications framework and enhanced internal quality assurance mechanisms.

B) REGISTRATION AND ACCREDITATION OF QUALIFICATIONS AND QUALIFICATION AWARDING INSTITUTIONS
KNQA accredits the qualifications awarding institutions and registers their respective qualifications in the National Qualifications Framework. There are obligatory protocols and measures that are put in place that must be met before any education and training institution is accredited. This ensures that only credible institutions offer education and training, and certify graduates upon completion of the course.

C) RECOGNITION, EQUATION AND VERIFICATION OF QUALIFICATIONS
The KNQA verifies, equates and recognizes certificates that are acquired locally and internationally. In doing this, the Authority ensures that qualifications and part qualifications offered by local and foreign awarding bodies are credible and in line with the KNQF Act. To enhance effectiveness of its processes, KNQA has developed a Kenya National Recognition, Equation and Verification (KNREV) portal that allows for online application and processing of REV applications. The system further allows for identification of fake and fraudulent certificates.

D) ESTABLISHMENT OF A LEARNERS RECORDS DATABASE
KNQA has developed a National Qualifications Management Information System (NAQMIS) that automates the process of accreditation, registration of qualifications, uploading of graduates records to the Kenya National Leaners Records database (KNLRD) and verification of qualifications. This has resulted to increased efficiency and effectiveness to a process that was previously manual and characterized by various inherent problems associated with manual processes. With the System in place, stakeholders can easily access information on various aspects of Qualifications in the Country.

E) RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING
Over the last two years, the Government has been implementing reforms aimed at promoting access and equity in education and training. One imperative reform is establishment of an alternative and flexible pathway by recognizing experiential learning. The Authority is mandated to provide for the recognition of attainment or competencies including skills, knowledge, attitudes and values through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process. During the Country’s Jamhuri day celebration on 1st June 2021, his Excellency the President issued a directive that the Ministry of Education, through the Kenya National Qualifications Authority should issue a policy framework for comprehensive recognition of prior learning.  This policy intervention is expected to expand the opportunities for individuals in various sectors to participate more meaningfully in the economy by making visible and certifying their skills and competencies.

Conclusion:
As the country leapfrogs towards achievement of Vision 2030, there is no doubt that the Kenya National Qualifications Authority is contributing greatly towards creating a globally competitive and adaptive human resource base that meet the requirements of a rapidly industrializing economy by enhancing access, relevance and quality of education and training in the country.

Dr. Alice Kande is the Deputy Director - Planning, Research, Outreach & Policy at KNQA

Economies in Sub-Saharan Africa with its GDP growing steadily at 5% per annum since 2013. The biggest contributors to this growth have been agriculture, transport, storage, manufacturing, wholesale and retail sectors. The impressive growth rates, pre-COVID, witnessed in the hospitality, information, communication, transportation and sectors cannot also go without a mention. Yet, despite this impressive performance, skills shortages, high unemployment rates and mismatch of skills continue to plague the vitality of the economy.

However, since 2014, the Kenyan government has sought to address these challenges by various interventions. One such intervention is reforms in the TVET sub sector, targeted at addressing the skills mismatch and gaps thereof. Working with development agencies and other key stakeholder in the TVET subsector, the government purposefully set out to improve on the delivery of TVET training in the country. The “Skills Expert Project”, a skills development program initiated and supported by the Federal Government of Germany, is one is one of the pioneering programs mooted to champion the transformation of TVET training in Kenya.

Launched in late 2017, by the German Federal Ministry of Economy and Energy, and the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce for Eastern Africa (AHK), the Skills Expert Project is a vocational training program that combines learning at a TVET educational institution with learning at the work place. Referred also as the Dual VET program, this system has been the corner stone of the German education system and is the reason for its strong industrial base.

As a viable option to the competency based education and training system, (CBET), the Dual VET seeks to address the drawback of focusing exclusively on a class/school based training which has been the main learning method in Kenya. By adopting the dual program for TVET, it was envisaged that the country would succeed in improving the quality of its graduates. Such that graduates will not only be better prepared for the work place but would also possess the skills that are actually needed.

A look into Dual VET, as an alternative path to learning
The Dual vocational education and training system stands out due to the two coordinated learning approaches. Learning at the employer (company) and learning at vocational school. The way it is designed is that the bulk of learning takes place at the company; with 60-70% of the time being spent at the company versus 40-30% being spent at school. To this end, the elements of theory are learnt at school, while application and practical aspects are learnt at the work place.   

Since the start of the Skills Expert Project in 2017, tremendous progress has been attained. The AHK as the implementers in collaboration with TVET institutions and the government have worked towards adapting the German Dual system curriculum. This curriculum was reviewed by Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) and by the TVET Authority. Subsequently, KNQA accredited AHK in early 2020, as a Foreign Qualification Awarding Institution in Kenya for TVET Trainings. This means that certificates awarded by AHK Eastern Africa to trainees are now officially recognized in Kenya, and within the German system.

Overall, the central goal of the dual system is to help students attain and develop technical competencies, while nurturing their vocational aptitudes in school, so that they can meet their current and future professional challenges. In this regard, the dual system has outstanding potential to transform the private sector, reduce the unemployment within Kenya and in the long run boost and maintain overall economic growth.

Dual System in Action
For some time now, the AHK has been working in close collaboration with private sector organizations in the hospitality industry to roll out and establish the dual curriculum. Since its inception there have been some great successes and notable wins.

(i) 1st Chef Apprentice Program
The AHK, together with the Intercontinental Hotel Group, Tribe/Trademark Hotel and the German School, and in collaboration with Kibodeni College of Hospitality, rolled out the 1st Chef Apprentice Program. Through this program the first cohort of Chef Apprentices on the dual VET diploma program were trained for 3 years and completed their studies in August 2021, they sat their final examination in September. Upon successful graduation they will be awarded a double certification that includes German Level B and a Kenyan Diploma by the AHK.

The AHK together with, Movenpick Hotel, LSG Skychefs and The Nairobi Street Kitchen and in collaboration with the TVET arm of the Kenya Methodist University are scheduled to begin the 2nd Chef Apprentice Program, the intake is ongoing (October 2021). A similar program shall be rolled out in Mombasa later in the year. This will involve with Diani Beach Hotels; including Diani Sea Resort, Diani Sea Lodge, Neptune Hotels, and the Leopard Beach Hotel. This comes with a strong backing from the Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers and Caterers at the coast.

(iii) Other Dual Training programs in the pipeline
The AHK is preparing to introduce new dual training programs for logistics, shoe manufacturing, Pharma and Electronics. Already 24 students have attained dual training certification in Electronic Devices and Systems, after a 13 months course at the Kenya Technical Trainers College.

Lastly, AHK is also one of the key partners in the implementation of the Kenyan-German Initiative for Youth Employment, a collaborative program by the Kenyan and German governments to implement dual (Cooperative) vocational training scheme. The program has established 3 centers of excellence for Industrial Mechatronics, Automotive Mechatronics and Autobody at Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Nairobi Technical Training Institute (NTTI), Thika Technical Training Institute respectively.

Quality training for quality output
To enhance the quality of vocational training in Kenya, AHK Eastern Africa has introduced the “Training of Trainers (AdA) International” a vocational trainer qualification course. This specialized course targets in-company trainers who are responsible for planning training content and for conducting in-company vocational training programs as well to upskill vocational school teachers in pedagogy and didactics. As TVET shifts towards competency-based training, the vocational trainer qualification will assist to build the capacity of trainers in the across various TVET and work place institutions. It is noted that most trainers in the workplace already have professional and occupational experience, but lack the pedagogical competencies, essential in implementing Dual Vocational Education and Training. Thus these trainers will enable the effective and efficient transfer of knowledge, skills and attitudes to trainers. The training is oriented according to the German Quality Standards AEVO.

AHK has so far conducted over 15 AdA International courses reaching 170 participants across several government agencies, training institutions, industries and organizations. Through the delivery of these train the trainer (TOT) courses, trainers have gained the adequate skillset to facilitate training in their specific companies and institutions and have a better understanding of the dual program.

The go-to TVET Experts
Due to its rich multicultural knowledge, experiences and expertise, the AHK offers TVET Consulting services while working closely with local industry stakeholders. The AHK advises on Dual Vocational Training standards, policy and practice in the region. Through its umbrella organization DIHK (Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry) and the 79 regional chambers (IHKs) in Germany, the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce for Eastern Africa supports companies in the development of dual vocational training programs. Through information sessions on the dual vocational training concept, curriculum development and customization, dual certification with German system elements and much more.

Going beyond its direct mandated activities, AHK is also one of the founders, trustees  and  secretariat of the Permanent Working Group on TVET, a multi-stakeholder platform that promotes collaboration and provides guidance on the implementation of TVET reforms in Kenya.

If you would like to learn more about the Dual System of Vocational Education and Training (VET) please visit the AHK  website https://www.kenia.ahk.de/ or contact the team via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.