Recognition of prior learning: Unlocking potential through validation of skills

People learn anytime, everywhere. Learning acquired in all contexts is valuable for individuals, society, labour market and economic development. Outcomes of prior learning in all contexts of life can be validated, recognised, certified to give people wings to new perspectives and opportunities in education and training, employment, decent jobs and social inclusion.

Across the world, countries and regional communities increasingly recognize the value of non-formal and informal learning and many are establishing systems to acknowledge competencies gained through non-formal and informal modalities.

Kenya is excited to host experts to discuss Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and its future in Africa. This forum which is timely and less than a year after Kenya embarked on the implementation of RPL policy will examine RPL in lifelong learning policies, theories underpinning RPL, how to do RPL, as well as Quality assurance of RPL. The event will also provide an opportunity to reflect on the steps made towards the implementation of RPL in Kenya as we also share our experience with other countries.

It is important to note that Recognition of Prior Learning has been with humanity since time memorial. In the past, skills were passed down generations through learning by watching and doing. Every community, narrowing down to tribes and clans had a craft that they were so proud of, to the extent of teaching their children, generation after generation.  All along, in Africa and beyond, fathers taught their sons and daughters a trade that sustained a family and identified with it.

Models of RPL can be drawn back to the earliest federations when masters of craft inspected skills acquired by apprentices to determine their aptitude against the highest standards available at that time.  During the Industrial Revolution, the first formal apprenticeship programs started rolling out from the developed nations and they trickled down to the earliest civilizations of Africa like Egypt and South Africa.

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Advancement of Recognition of Prior Learning in Africa,              

In 2021, right after the industrial and labor disaster that is attributed to the COVID-19 epidemic, Mozambique and Cape Verde joined South Africa in putting new legislations on RPL in their national qualifications systems.  In Mozambique particularly, the Technical and Vocational education and Training institutes supported 45 candidates with relevant work experience to be qualified in three sectors:  Electricals, Welding, and Textile Operation.  In May 2021, Cape Verde supported a group of 20 professionals, trained and certified in the Foods and Drinks and Tourism sectors.  Cameroon followed suit and is currently allowing individuals who could not complete formal education but are skilled in various fields and are open to learning and certification, to be assessed and certified through the RPL process.

It is crystal clear that Kenya has also joined other trail blazers regionally and continentally in embedding RPL in its education system. In March 2024, Kenya launched the national policy on RPL paving way for a standardized process of identifying, documenting, assessing and certifying skills and competencies that are acquired informally and non-formally. 

Skills, attitude, and willingness to learn, unlearn and relearn are considered critical in the current labour market. RPL has already proven to be a straightforward process of assessing and qualifying skills and knowledge, regardless of where, how, and when the skills were learned. The growth of digital and online learning and access to digital skills assessment tools are new dimensions and potentialities of RPL, which can benefit candidates, and the effectiveness of RPL systems.

Most countries have opted for RPL systems whereby the qualifications awarded are exactly the same as the qualifications awarded in the formal education and training system. However, there are always ways to identify that individuals achieved their qualifications after an RPL process, for instance age of the individual, lack of education and training provider related to the qualification among others. Clearly, the lack of societal recognition, and therefore of acceptance of qualifications achieved in the RPL system as genuine proof of knowledge and skills, may put the entire RPL system in jeopardy. To avoid this pitfall, the RPL process should be organized with a convincing quality assurance system.

It is for this reason that the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) will be hosting the 3^rd continental Forum of institutions of National Qualifications Frameworks, which is organised in partnership with the African Union to build capacity of RPL Practitioners from Kenya and other National Qualifications Authorities within the Africa Continental Qualifications Framework umbrella. The event will take place in Nairobi, from 1 to 4 October 2024. RPL practitioners are deemed as the guardians of quality of the entire RPL process, from initial stage of creating awareness about RPL to the validation and certification of learning outcomes and to the awarding of a qualification.

A critical component of the RPL process is awareness creation of all stakeholders. In Kenya, the concept of ‘the Whole of Government Approach (WOGA)’ has been embraced and this has enabled all key stakeholders to pull together in the roll-out of the RPL policy. Specifically, this has brought together institutions under the State Department for TVET, State Department for Labour & Skills Development, State Department for Housing and Urban Development, the Jua kali Industry. as well as other Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Through this approach, KNQA has not only ensured that the RPL policy is in place, but also provided through the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF) a clear articulation of qualification levels and pathways within the framework.

The approach will fast-track and accelerate the implementation of the Government’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) programmes within the mandate of the State Department for TVET and the State Department for Labour and Skills Development.

As a key component of lifelong learning policies and a mechanism for equity and social inclusion, it is paramount for Kenya and the continent at large to ensure that current and uncertified skills and competencies are duly identified, documented, assessed and certified.

Recognition of Prior Learning is a vital tool in the modern educational landscape, promoting inclusivity, efficiency, and lifelong learning. In Kenya, RPL has gained traction as a vital tool for enhancing access to education and employment opportunities, particularly in a rapidly evolving job market. As awareness and understanding of RPL continue to grow, it holds the potential to transform educational pathways and create more equitable opportunities for all. Together, we shall leap closer to realisation of national and global vision and accelerate the process of building an agile workforce with sustainable and borderless careers in the shifting world of work.

The writer is the Director General of the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA). Email: [email protected]