Government body pushes for quality academic papers

KNQA Ag. DG Dr.Alice Kande, CEO HELB Charles Ringera, and KUCCPS CEO Mercy Wahome highlight today at a tree planting exercise with students, and teachers from the StateHouse Girls Nairobi.

A government agency is pushing for global recognition of certificates obtained by the students across the country.

Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) acting Director General Dr Alice Kande said the quality of academic qualifications is key for global recognition.

Addressing students of State House Girls in Nairobi after a tree planting exercise, Dr Kande emphasized the importance of having credible qualifications in the country.

"The KNQA plays a crucial role in safeguarding the educational achievements of individuals across various platforms and institutions," said the acting Director General.

The tree planting initiative was a collaboration between KNQA, Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) and Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) and which saw 2000 trees, planted.

"The participation of these four institutions in this noble course demonstrates their commitment to environmental conservation and their understanding of the importance of collective action in addressing climate change," said Dr Kande.

She added: "Such efforts not only contribute to a greener future but also raise awareness among students and the wider community about the significance of environmental sustainability."

The Authority was set up in 2015 to help coordinate and harmonize education, training, assessment and quality assurance of all qualifications awarded in the country; with the view to improving quality and international comparability.

The Authority is implementing Kenya National Qualification framework (KNQF) which is part of Kenya's international commitments to develop an accurate, reliable and robust database of all qualifications in the country that will allow for comparability and information sharing in the education sector globally.

Effective educational standards in Kenya define a common core of learning for all students and require students to reach common levels of performance and achievement.

Kenya is gearing up to achieving this through the regulations and provision by the Ministry of Education and the Constitution of Kenya on quality education.

The Authority is mandated by law to assess and set these standards and implement them in Kenyan institutions.

"We set national standards for accreditation in the country, standards for quality assurance and standards for assessment and examination,'' reiterated Dr. Kande.

The tree planting initiative is line with President William Samoei Ruto's tree restoration program, which aims to plant 15 billion trees by 2032.