Accountants’ professional body launches international standards course in Kenya

NAIROBI: The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has launched a Certificate in International Public Sector Accounting Standards (Cert IPSAS).

The ACCA Cert IPSAS has been specifically developed for public sector organisations to train their staff so they can meet the challenges of implementing IPSAS – the global accruals-based accounting standards used for the preparation of general purpose financial statements by governments and other public sector entities.

ACCA Kenya Country Manager George Njari said ACCA believes that given the pace of change and size of expenditure in the public sector, it is critical that finance professionals working in the sector are equipped with the right skills and competencies to deal with the challenges ahead.

“Building financial skills, capability and capacity for the public sector is a key aspect of economic development and public accountability,” Njari observed.

Mr Njari added that globally, the direction of travel is for governments and NGOs to move to IPSAS reporting, meaning that the skills gained from the certificate are transferrable across public sector organisations and across countries.

It is expected that the IPSAS certificate will give finance professionals in Kenya working in the sector, or wanting to work in the sector, stronger and more relevant financial reporting skills.

Both individuals and their employers will benefit from having IPSAS financial reporting expertise, as it is a necessary component for improving the accountability and transparency of the public purse.