Policy seeks to streamline students' progression

Teachers admire the handcraft work of their grade 5 students during a learning session at their institution on October 2, 2023. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

The Kenya Credit Accumulation and Transfer System (KCATS) policy that is currently under review will play a critical role in paving way for seamless student progression.

The government has appointed a 19-member team to review the national policy on KCATS.

Speaking in Naivasha yesterday during the inauguration of the 19-member team, Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) Chairperson Stanley Kiptis said the policy is a critical instrument that will guide learner progression.

The team is drawn from KNQA, Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority, universities, industrial training, employers' federation, and examination bodies.

This policy is poised to revolutionize education by allowing students to progress seamlessly from certificate to degree level.

Kiptis who represented the Education Cabinet Secretary, Ezekiel Machogu, emphasized that the policy would foster accessibility, mobility, and seamless transitions within education and career paths.

Further, he said it will enhance transparency, efficiency, recognition and quality of education and training.

"The Qualifications landscape in Kenya encompasses multiple stakeholders who must work together to ensure relevance, portability of qualifications, mobility of labor and global competitiveness of our qualifications," said Kiptis.

The review of the KCATS policy aligns with the recommendations of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms.

Specifically, this focuses on supporting the progression and mobility of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates through credit transfer.

KNQA Acting Director General Alice Kande said that the team has the opportunity to bring coherence and prevent knowledge wastage by introducing a national credit transfer system policy.

Dr Kande stressed the importance of a national and global situational analysis, considering Kenya's advanced stage in implementing the Africa Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF).

The ACQF aims to be a referencing qualifications framework for the African continent, promoting transparency, comparability, and quality of qualifications. It also facilitates mutual trust between national qualifications frameworks and systems, fostering mobility for further studies and work.