Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has directed experts working on Kenya Credit Accumulation and Transfer System (KCATS) policy to expedite the process in order to enhance access and progression.
Speaking during the 11th Nairobi Technical Training Institute, graduation ceremony held at Moi Sports Centre Auditorium, Kasarani, Machogu noted that the policy is crucial as it willsupport mobility of qualifications in the education sector.
“I wish to encourage graduands of Nairobi Technical Training Institute to take advantage of progression pathways to further their academic pursuits,” said the Cabinet Secretary.
The review of thepolicy is being spearheaded by the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA together with other stakeholders in the education sector.
Machogu said the review of the policy is a significant milestone towards meeting the national,regional and continental aspirations on attainment of learner mobility and lifelong learning.
“Through this system, the Ministry envisages to easemovement of learners between and within various programmes, institutions andlevels of qualifications such as TVET institutions, universities and evenprofessional examining bodies. This will not only facilitate credit transfers,exemptions, but also vertical and horizontal mobility of learners at all levelsto enable entry, re-entry and exit,” he said.
The 19-member teamof experts, was inaugurated two weeksago in Naivasha in an event that was presided of by Principal Secretary TVET DrEsther Muoria on behalf of the cabinet Secretary.
The team of expertsthat was appointed by the CS is drawn from; Kenya Nationals Qualification Authority (KNQA), Directorate of Quality Assurance, Technical and VocationalEducation and Training Authority (TVETA, University of Embu, University ofNairobi , National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), Egerton University, International Labour Organisation(ILO), Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE),Human Resource Management Professionals Examination Board (HRMPEB), Commissionfor University Education(CUE), Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), Technical and Vocational Education and Training Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council (TVET CDACC) and Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) will come upwith the national policy on Kenya Credit Accumulation and Transfer (KCAT) system policy in the Country.
According to Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA Acting Director General Dr. Alice Kande, the policy will breath coherence and ensure non-wastage ofknowledge by providing to this country a national credit transfer system policy.
The initial editionof KCATS policy was launched in November 2021.
“It is important that we undertake a national and globalsituational analysis -noting that we areat advanced stage of realizing and implementing the Africa ContinentalQualifications Framework,” said Dr Kande.
She added that the ACQF is designed to be a referencing qualifications framework for theAfrican continent, to enhance transparency, comparability and quality of qualifications and mutual trust between national qualifications frameworks andsystems, thereby promoting mobility of people for purposes of further studies andwork.
Dr Kande said the Qualifications landscape in Kenya encompasses multiple stakeholders who must work together to ensure relevance, portabilityof qualifications, mobility of labour and global competitiveness of ourqualifications.
The review of the policy is happening at the backdrop of implementing recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms; specifically on the need to support progression and mobility of TVET graduates throughcredit transfer.
The KNQF Act no. 22 of 2014 mandates KNQA to developpolicies and Standards to guide the national qualifications system. This is aimed at enhancing skills development process; skills transferability, clarify progression pathways between and within levels of Qualifications and across different sectors; thus enabling Lifelong learning.