Toronto, Ontario — Kenya's first program to drive recognition of prior learning initiative supports the Mastercard Foundation’s strategy of enabling 5 million young people in Kenya to access dignified and fulfilling work
Humber College has been selected to lead one of the critical components – Recognition of Prior Learning – within the Young Africa Works in Kenya-Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative. The initiative will run for four years through a partnership between Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) and the Mastercard Foundation.
Humber College, a member institution of CICan, will provide learners with formal credit for their experience and knowledge obtained outside of an academic setting. Acquiring formal credit will result in increased recruitment, retention, and transition of young people to work opportunities. An anticipated 10,000 students are expected to benefit from this project that is part of the Mastercard Foundation's Young Africa Works strategy. The Foundation’s strategy aims to enable 5 million young people in Kenya to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.
“What’s exciting about this work is it recognizes that learning - the acquisition of important transferrable skills - can happen anywhere. It is a concept that is bigger than classrooms,” said Daniel Hailu, Regional Head, Eastern and Southern Africa at the Mastercard Foundation. “It’s important to give validation to the relevant, transferable skills that young people pick up in the course of life and informal work, and to ensure that this recognition we render has social significance. We need to cultivate an inclusive idea of what education means because that’s part of how we enable dignified work for young people.”
The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) component within Young Africa Works in Kenya-TVET initiative is the first project of its kind in Kenya. Humber will support the national government's efforts to achieve full RPL implementation across Kenya's 25 TVET institutes and Centres of Excellence.
Humber's International Development Institute (IDI) will lead a consortium that includes NorQuest College and Red River College, in partnership with Kenyan lead partner, the Kenya National Qualifications Authority, the Technical and Vocation Education and Training Authority, and the Ministry of Education. The consortium will engage government, institutional, and community partners in RPL initiatives, including developing guidelines and tools, training the trainers to be assessors, and increasing access to youth services.
"The Kenyan workforce is driven by an estimated 80 percent of individuals from the informal sector. This collaboration with the Kenyan government will provide pathways for young people, especially uncertified artisans and skilled manual labourers, to gain recognition of their prior learning skills and experience," said Jennifer Cleary, Senior Program Officer for IDI. "Humber will support the RPL framework roll-out, train RPL assessors, and provide outreach to young people who lack access to education and training or face labour market exclusion due to lack of formal qualifications."
The project builds on the success of the Kenya Education for Employment Program (KEFEP).
“We are excited to collaborate with Canadian education institutes and benchmark best practices in building the national RPL capacity to implement recognition of prior Learning in Kenya,” says Stanley Maindi, Deputy Director at the Kenya National Qualifications Authority.
About Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning
Humber College is focused on our students' future. As a global leader in polytechnic education, Humber students receive in-depth theoretical learning and hands-on experience with applied research and extensive industry connections. Humber provides career-focused education to more than 33,000 full-time and 23,000 part-time and continuing education students across three campuses. A comprehensive range of credentials including honours undergraduate degrees, Ontario graduate certificates, diplomas, apprenticeships and certificates, prepare career-ready global citizens to move seamlessly from education to employment. More than 86 per cent of Humber graduates are employed within six months of completing their studies. Visit humber.ca.
About the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA)
The Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Education established in 2015 to develop and implement the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF). The Framework sets out clear criteria for all Qualifications and development of a Harmonized National Accreditation, Quality Assurance, Assessment and Examination system. The system also develops and implements national policies on Qualifications, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), National Qualifications Database and Credit Accumulations and Transfer (CATs) system for a quality Training and Qualifications Awarding system. For more information, visit http://www.knqa.go.ke/
About the Mastercard Foundation
The Mastercard Foundation works with visionary organizations to enable young people in Africa and in Indigenous communities in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work. It is one of the largest private foundations in the world with a mission to advance learning and promote financial inclusion to create an inclusive and equitable world. The Foundation was created by Mastercard in 2006 as an independent organization with its own Board of Directors and management. For more information on the Foundation, please visit www.mastercardfdn.org
About Colleges and Institutes Canada
Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) is the voice of Canada's publicly-supported colleges, institutes, CEGEPs and polytechnics, and an international leader in education for employment with ongoing programs in over 25 countries. CICan's members add over $190B to Canada's economy each year and contribute to inclusive economic growth by working with industry and community partners to offer more than 10,000 programs to learners in urban, rural, remote, and northern communities.
For more information, please contact:
Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning
Nadia Araujo, Media Relations and External Communications Specialist
nadia.araujo@humber.ca | 416.580.1364
The Mastercard Foundation
Helen White, Strategy Lead, Program Communications
hwhite@mastercardfdn.org| +27 76 166 5372
Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA)
Maindi Stanley
Deputy Director, KNQA
Planning, Research, Outreach and Policy
smaindi06@gmail.com/ rpl@knqa.go.ke | +254-20 2100272
