Artisans who have gained skills through informal or experiential learning may soon receive official recognition if a proposed law is passed. Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oron has introduced a bill seeking to mandate the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) to establish a system for assessing and certifying such individuals.
The Industrial Training (Amendment) Bill, 2024 proposes that NITA be legally required to create processes for evaluating and certifying individuals with skills acquired through informal, non-formal, or experiential training in various vocational trades or crafts.
“The authority shall be responsible for establishing a system and structure that assesses and certifies a person who has acquired skills through informal, non-formal, or experiential training or education in any vocational trade or craft,” the bill states.
Oron explained that the proposed law aims to provide a pathway for individuals who acquire skills outside traditional academic settings to have their competencies officially recognized.
“The objective of the bill is to acknowledge prior learning as a framework that recognizes the skills, knowledge, performance outcomes, and learning achieved through informal and non-formal pathways,” he wrote in the memorandum.
The MP emphasized that many individuals in Kenya’s formal, informal, and jua kali (informal sector) industries develop expertise through hands-on experience and practice, yet lack the credentials to prove their competencies.
“They should have the opportunity for recognition of their acquired knowledge and skills,” Oron argued.
The informal sector constitutes approximately 80% of Kenya’s workforce, according to state data. Despite their expertise in areas such as textiles, automotive mechanics, construction, and welding, many workers lack formal certification.
Last year, the government piloted a recognition program in sectors including textiles, motor mechanics, welding, beauty, and masonry to certify skills acquired informally. The Technical and Vocational Education Authority has since confirmed that the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy is in place and will be expanded nationwide.
In a March 2024 opinion piece, Alice Kande, acting director of the Kenya National Qualifications Authority, described the RPL policy as a standardised process for identifying, documenting, assessing, and certifying skills acquired informally or non-formally.
By early 2024, approximately 600 Kenyans had received full or partial certification under the RPL program, according to the International Labour Organization. Oron stated that his proposed legislation aims to provide a legal framework for such recognition, ensuring skilled artisans are acknowledged for their contributions to the economy.
