Celebrating the Top Corporate Brands Driving Business in 2024

#21

KNQA

When I joined the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) a few years ago as the Deputy Director for Planning, Research, Outreach, and Policy, the Authority was still in its formative stages, grappling with several challenges that impeded its effectiveness and growth. My journey with KNQA began at a time when the institution was striving to establish a robust framework to ensure quality assurance in the national qualifications system.

KNQA was relatively new, having been established in 2015 to address the need for a unified qualifications framework in Kenya. At the time, the Authority lacked comprehensive policies and strategic frameworks that could guide its operations and interactions with stakeholders. This gap made it challenging to establish a cohesive system for recognising and validating qualifications.

The relationship between KNQA and its stakeholders, including educational institutions, employers, and other government bodies, was still in the developmental phase. There was a need for stronger outreach and collaboration to build trust and cooperation.

The technological infrastructure necessary for managing and verifying qualifications needed to be scaled up to meet the growing needs of the stakeholders. There were significant challenges in data collection and management, which are crucial for maintaining an accurate and reliable national qualifications framework. Public awareness about KNQA and its role was relatively low and many individuals and institutions were unaware of the importance of a unified qualifications framework and how it could benefit them. 

As Director General (DG) of KNQA, my role involves overseeing the standardisation, quality assurance, and harmonisation of qualifications awarded in Kenya. The perception of performance in the public space can be understood through several dimensions, including market success, service delivery, and milestones achieved.

To-date, KNQA has successfully built trust among key stakeholders, including educational institutions, employers, and international bodies. This trust is fundamental to our market success as it ensures that qualifications are recognised and respected both locally and internationally. There is a noticeable increase in the enrollment of students in programs that are registered in the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF). This indicates the confidence in our standards and the value placed on qualifications we endorse.

We have forged strong partnerships with various industries to ensure that our qualifications are relevant and meet the needs of the job market. These collaborations have led to the development of specialised courses and certifications that enhance employability.

The process for the registration of qualifications in KNQF has been streamlined to reduce bureaucratic delays. This has encouraged more institutions to seek registration, thereby improving the overall quality of education and training in the country.

We have implemented a robust framework that provides clear pathways for learners and workers to progress through different levels of education and training. This framework is now more accessible and user-friendly, facilitating smoother transitions between different qualification levels.

KNQA has so far realised the following further milestones:

• Implementation of the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF): The successful implementation of the KNQF has standardized qualifications across different sectors and levels, ensuring coherence and consistency.
• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Policy: We have established mechanisms for the recognition of prior learning, allowing individuals to gain formal recognition for skills and knowledge acquired through non-formal and informal means. The policy was officially launched by the Deputy President H.E. Hon. Rigathi Gachagua on 22^nd March 2024 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in an event that saw over 900 graduates receive their RPL certificates.
• Audit and Evaluation: Regular audits and evaluations of educational and training institutions have been conducted to maintain high standards. Institutions that do not meet the required standards are provided with feedback and support to improve.
• Capacity Building: We have conducted numerous capacity-building workshops for educators, administrators, and other stakeholders to ensure that they are well-equipped to deliver high-quality education and training.
• Global Alignment: Aligning our qualifications with international standards has made it easier for Kenyan qualifications to be recognised globally. This has facilitated mobility for students and professionals.
• Partnerships and stakeholder engagements:  KNQA has forged partnerships with key players in the qualifications landscape, amongst them sub-sector Regulators; Qualifications Awarding Institutions; development partners such as International Labour Organisation (ILO); Mastercard Foundation; Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan); International Rescue Committee (IRC), among  others.
• International Collaborations: We have also established partnerships with international qualifications authorities, enhancing the exchange of knowledge and best practices. These include the South African Qualifications Authority and Zambia Qualifications Authority, among others. KNQA is also a member of the Africa Qualifications Verification Network (AQVN) which brings together National Qualifications Authorities across Africa facilitating comparability of qualifications across the continent
• Development of Regional and Continental Frameworks: The Kenya National Qualifications Authority is a trailblazer regionally and continentally in ensuring quality, credibility and visibility of qualifications. To that end, KNQA has been considered as a benchmark of several other countries in Africa which are at various stages of development of their respective National Qualifications Frameworks. Additionally, KNQA has played an instrumental role in development of the African Continental Qualifications Frameworks (ACQF) which is a policy instrument of continental scope to deliver on the objectives of enhanced transparency and comparability of qualifications and mutual trust between qualifications frameworks and systems for lifelong learning in Africa. Development of the ACQF policy was also benchmarked on the KNQF.

Currently, KNQA is providing technical leadership in development of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development Qualifications Framework (IGADQF), particularly in championing Recognition of RPL in IGAD member countries and setting a precedent for regional integration and educational excellence.

I am proud to mention that recently, KNQA received a Presidential Wage Bill Accountability Award. KNQA maintained parameters set by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), attaining the distinction during the Commission’s third national wage bill conference at the Bomas of Kenya. The Authority’s wage bill has not been more than 35 percent of the wage bill to revenue ratio for three consecutive years. SRC also cited demonstrated improvement in the reduction of the wage bill, attainment of unqualified audit opinions for three consecutive years from the Auditor General, and the adoption of productivity mainstreaming measures.

I attribute the major successes we have recorded so far to the commitment and professionalism of our staff, as well as the supportive Council, which has consistently provided oversight in implementing KNQA’s mandate. Additionally, the unwavering support from Dr. Ezekiel Machogu, the Cabinet Secretary (CS) for the Ministry of Education, and from the Principal Secretary (PS) of the State Department for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), has been instrumental. Their distinct and unparalleled contributions have enabled the Authority to achieve its envisaged targets year after year.

With the launch of its 2023-2027 Strategic Plan, I am confident that the Authority will ensure the quality, credibility, and global competitiveness of national qualifications. This will have a ripple effect, enhancing the decent employability of graduates across various levels of learning. Additionally, it will improve the portability and comparability of qualifications, as well as the mobility of skills and labor.