Mombasa: The State Department for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has officially launched a nationwide Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme, aimed at certifying the skills of thousands of Kenyans who have gained expertise through informal and non-formal means.
According to Kenya News Agency, the initiative was unveiled at Kenya Coast National Polytechnic, where Joseph Njau, Acting Secretary of TVET, emphasized the programme’s dual objectives: training practitioners and forming regional committees to implement the RPL programme. Njau remarked, “We are inaugurating this workshop to train Recognition of Prior Learning practitioners. At the same time, we are launching a regional committee that will guide the RPL implementation. This programme addresses a critical gap where highly skilled individuals, especially those in the ‘Juakali’ sector, lack certification and therefore miss out on formal employment opportunities.”
Njau highlighted that many skilled artisans in fields such as construction, mechanics, and hospitality have been disadvantaged due to the absence of formal certification. “Through RPL, we will assess the skills acquired outside formal education. If we find them highly quality, we will award official certificates that can be used for employment and contracting opportunities,” he stated. He added that the immediate target is to train about 100 RPL practitioners in the Coast region, with similar workshops simultaneously launched in Kisumu and Nyeri. The national goal is to train 7,000 practitioners who will act as assessors nationwide.
Initially, the focus is on STEM fields-Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics-where significant technological development is occurring. The Regional Director of TVET, Mwanzi Peter, noted that the programme’s reach will be extensive and inclusive. “Our TVET institutions are spread throughout the country, including in the villages where Juakali artisans operate,” Mr. Mwanzi said. “We are not only targeting artisans, but also skilled workers in industries such as hospitality, especially in regions like Mombasa,” he added.
Mwanzi emphasized that the RPL initiative would bolster the informal economy, creating pathways to better jobs, government contracts, and opportunities in the blue economy. Geoffrey Andama, Chief Principal of Kenya Coast National Polytechnic, further underscored the programme’s significance. “We know there are people who repair our fridges, lay tiles, or build houses but have no certificates to show their competencies,” Andama said. “This initiative is not about training or examining them again, it’s about recognising, assessing, and certifying the skills they already possess.”
He explained that all TVET institutions, vocational colleges, and training centres would serve as assessment hubs, while national polytechnics like Kenya Coast will handle certification. “Our goal is to give these skilled individuals the dignity and confidence they deserve when they appear before employers,” Mr. Andama concluded.