The lack of clear guidelines for grading certain careers is hampering the fast adoption of the plan to recognise skilled artisans with no formal education.
It is now emerging some of the tools that are essential to recognise and certify the skills are yet to be developed.
Speaking during a forum aimed at raising awareness on the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Policy and application in solar sector, Caroline Njuki the Officer in charge and chief technical advisor-International Labour Organisation (ILO), said the lack of a framework in some areas has led to slow adoption.
“Some of the assessment tools have not been developed. So we need to develop those tools of assessment and train people in them then we are able to deploy,” said Njuki.
So far since the launch of the pilot stage in 2021, only 62 went through the first pilot, and now so far about 467 have gone through the RPL system.
“We are projecting about 350 will make it and therefore get certified through the RPL process,” said the acting Director General- Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) Dr Alice Kande.
Under the current framework, non-certified workers are first practically examined in their area of specialty and their levels are graded into three, level one to three based on the set criteria for each by the RPL policy guidelines.
The sensitisation forum was organised by Toolkit iSkills (TTI) in conjunction with other stakeholders mandated to recognise and support certification of skills and competencies.
These include prior learning and previous experience irrespective of the learning settings or county in which the skills were acquired.
The objective of the meeting was to discuss and chart ways to get solar skills that have been informally acquired to be assessed and certified.
Recognition of prior learning (RPL) means a person gets their skills recognized, assessed and certified.
The forum themed 'Unlocking Job Opportunities for Youth in Solar Energy Kenya' brought together Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA), International Labour Organization (ILO), National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), Habitat for Humanity (HFH), and the Toolkit iSkills (TTI).
