Kampala, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania have embarked on a groundbreaking initiative aimed at fostering regional integration by facilitating the mutual recognition of qualifications and awards. This collaborative effort is poised to not only enhance the mobility of skilled labour and workforce but also create a harmonized labour market within the East African region.
The milestone achievement was realized as the three East African nations endorsed the Regional Framework for Occupational Competency Assessment and Certification (RFOCAC) and the Regional Policy Framework for TVET Integration (RPFTI) during a recent workshop held in Mombasa, Kenya.
The RFOCAC and RPFTI stand as pivotal documents designed to establish standardized and harmonized occupational competency assessment and certification systems. These systems will be intricately interwoven into a well-integrated Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) framework across the region.
The workshop witnessed the participation of distinguished officials representing the governments of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania, along with members of the Regional TVET Qualifications Framework (RTQF) Implementation Advisory Group. This group comprised TVET experts and private sector representatives from the three nations, alongside the team from the Inter University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), the Regional Facilitation Unit for the project.
Dr. Esther Muoria, the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Technical and Vocational Education and Training in the Republic of Kenya, expressed the significance of these frameworks in the integration of TVET systems in East Africa.
She underscored their pivotal role in establishing a harmonized TVET system that would enable the mutual recognition of qualifications and awards, thereby promoting the free mobility of skilled labor and workforce, ultimately leading to a harmonized labor market.
Dr. Muoria further emphasized the importance of ensuring that TVET systems in the region are comparable and compatible, equipping graduates with the skills and knowledge essential for success in both regional and global labor markets.
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The Regional Project Coordinator of the World Bank-funded East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP), Dr. Cosam Joseph, highlighted the project’s vital role in the development of TVET systems in the East African region. He stressed that these regional frameworks are pivotal outputs of the project, contributing to the goal of supporting regional integration.
The RFOCAC will serve as a guiding system for harmonized occupational competency assessment and certification in the region, ensuring that workers are evaluated and certified against uniform standards, irrespective of their training country.
The RPFTI is a comprehensive document that outlines key areas of cooperation for the integration of TVET systems in the region. These areas include curriculum development, quality assurance, teacher training, and assessment, promoting a well-rounded approach to TVET integration.
These two regional frameworks are poised to equip skilled workers in East Africa with the skills and knowledge required to play a pivotal role in the region’s economic development. They will enable skilled professionals to practice their trades in any of the three East African countries, further facilitating regional integration and harmonized labor market dynamics.
