Government unveils plan to stamp out fake degrees
Last minute rush: Students and parents return forms to the Higher Education Loans Board offices in Nairobi. Public universities in the past thrived on parallel degree programmes to raise cash.
Fake degrees could soon be a thing of the past as the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) works to harmonise its framework across Africa.
The African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF) initiative, which aims to spearhead a transformation in education and skills development, says it will ensure that qualifications earned by young Africans are not only recognised in their home countries but also resonate across the African continent and beyond to the global stage.
Speaking during a three-day workshop on the ACQF, Principal Secretary Esther Muoria said while the initiative is designed to address several mismatches to ensure that skills and competencies relevant to industry needs are recognised and certified, the programme will weed out fake degrees.
"This initiative will address the skills mismatch, inconsistencies in qualification outcomes and competencies between institutions offering qualifications at similar levels, bottlenecks and dead ends in the education system, and the lack of a system to align and equate qualifications. It also seeks to provide clear progression pathways between qualifications," she said.
However, Ms Muoria sought to emphasise the importance of establishing consistent professional standards not only within the country but also across the continent and globally. She stressed that the pursuit of a universally recognised professional standard is essential when training individuals in a particular field to ensure global recognition.
"We are not only focusing on curricula but also on occupational standards (OSS). We live in a time where the workforce is agile and ready to move from one place to another on this continent. Our aim is to ensure that when we talk about harmonising qualifications and frameworks across the continent, we include occupational standards and even the curricula themselves.
This comprehensive approach is designed to facilitate mobility across the continent by aligning everything from occupational standards to curricula and embedding them within the framework," she said.
Speaking during the workshop, Juma Mukhwana, Principal Secretary for Industry, emphasised the shift towards recognising practical skills over traditional paper qualifications, and the commitment to certifying artisans and workers in various trades, regardless of the route they took to acquire their skills. He emphasised that the focus should now be on assessing and recognising the skills of individuals, rather than prioritising their formal educational qualifications.
"What we are looking for are the skills - what can you deliver? The way you're doing this business, the question is: can you do it? If you can do it, why can't I satisfy you? Why should I look for supplements if I have the skills? This perspective underlines the importance of skills in driving the economy, particularly in industries such as construction where a significant percentage of the workforce lacks formal qualifications but has valuable skills," he said.
He went on to say that the overarching goal is to create a more inclusive and practical education system that values skills and industry knowledge, ultimately reducing the gap between education and industry needs.
"We believe that by recognising and certifying skills, it can stimulate economic growth, particularly within its own borders, and contribute to the wider goal of increasing intra-African trade. Breaking down barriers such as visa requirements and harmonising standards across the continent will be essential steps in fostering greater business cooperation among African nations," he said.
There have also been cases of campuses being attacked and students killed, such as the Garissa University attack that claimed 148 lives.
Furthermore, KNQA Acting Director General Alice Kande said the government is keen to bridge the gap by developing and implementing a robust Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) system to ensure that skills and competencies relevant to industry needs are recognised and certified.
"Indeed, we recognise that NQFs are evolving, broadening their scope and embracing digitalisation. Learning in all contexts (including non-formal and informal) is more important than ever, as the transformation of work, technologies and the greening of the economy require faster re-skilling and up-skilling, flexible acquisition of credentials for lifelong learning and work, and transparent qualifications based on quality and trustworthy provision at all levels of the NQF," she said.
The Presidential Working Party on Education Reform (PWPER), which released its report this month, recommended the implementation of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy and Credit Accumulation and Transfer Systems (CATS) in Kenya.
In a report submitted to President William Ruto, the team, led by Konza Technopolis Development Authority board chairperson Raphael Munavu, also suggested the need for more awareness creation on Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Accumulation and Transfer Systems.
