The state is targeting to issue certificates to over 15
million artisans under the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme being
implemented mainly through the Tvet sector.
RPL director Stanley Maindi said the country has a huge
number of skilled workers in all sectors but they lack certificates to be able
to advance their skills and qualify to access contracts among other jobs.
Maindi said so far, over 5,100 artisans have already been
assessed through Tvet colleges and issued with certificates while another
700,000 will be certified by end of the year.
“Currently this is a trending initiative because we have a
huge population of youth who are skilled and doing good work in the Jua Kali
sector and we need to asses them and issue the certificates to recognise their
skills,” Maindi said.
He was speaking at the Eldoret National Polytechnic (TENP)
during a training for RPL trainers from 20 Tvet colleges in the region.
He was with TNEP chief principal Dr Charles Koech and director
of Tvet Meshack Obwora.
TNEP is an RPL certification center and Dr Koech said the
college would go out of its way to ensure many artisans in the region benefit
from the programme.
“We are happy with the support we have always received from
the government and we are committed to have the RPL initiative reach as many of
our youth as possible,” said Dr Koech.
Maindi said the Tvet institutions had over 7,000 tutors who
would be retrained and sensitised under the programme.
He said all Tvet colleges would be assessment centers where
artisans can walk in any time to be assessed for certification.
Maindi said they were working with the Kenya National
Federation of Jua Kali to help identify the artisans and refer them to Tvet
colleges for assessment and certification.
Maindi said the government was giving emphasis on the RPL
initiative as part of the bottom up economic programme which aims to benefit
those in lower sectors of the economy.
He said the artisans will also be assessed at the work
places and that over 240 Tvet colleges would support the plan.
Maindi said the training programme for trainers will take
place in all parts of the country.
“We will ensure we have reached all our skilled artisans in
our informal sector so that they are recognised and issued with the
certificates that are as good as those issued by our colleges,” Maindi said.
He said the ongoing training was aimed at building capacity
for the trainers to properly asses the artisans in all areas for certification.
Maindi said the artisans in the country play a critical role
in the growth of the economy hence the need to further empower them.
