The government is set to issue certificates to 700,000 Jua Kali artisans this year under the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy in a bid to formalise the sector.

Officials from the government who are on a countrywide tour to roll out the RPL programme in various TVETs across the country said the move to validate and accredit skilled persons is a game changer in the informal sector.

Speaking during the launch of RPL Practitioners and Assessment at Sigalagala National Polytechnic in Kakamega County, on Monday, Dr Benard Isalambo from the State Department of Technical Vocational and Training (TVET), said the government is keen on certifying 700,000 persons and bringing on board 15 million Jua Kali artisans.

"We are targeting to assess and certify 700,000 Jua kali artisans this year as we strive towards achieving the 15 million mark. This is a new venture that is going to leverage those who have been sidelined by the conventional systems, and yet they are skilled and talented," said Isalambo.

He said the government is also on a mission to sensitise the public on the new modularised Competency-Based Education Training (CBET) programme, which will work in line with RPL.

"Every three months, we are going to roll out persons with competency skills who can be able to serve this country. We are a developing country, and we need skills. Every year, Kenya churns out over a million unskilled persons into the labour market, and many of them end up in entrepreneurship services, but they don't have proper certification and RPL will be used to certify this number and with CBET being modularised we should at every three months churns out a team of young people who are skilled to build the nation," said Isalambo.

Stanley Maindi, Director at RPL, Affordable Housing Program and Mega government project and Delivery Unit, said they want to formalise the sector by tapping into talents and skilled individuals who are working and yet they don't have a certificate.

"We have over 15 million Jua Kali artisans we are targeting in the informal sector who are driving our economy, and yet they are skilled, but they do not have a certificate. The government has introduced the RPL programme to certify such people, and this year alone, we are targeting to certify 700,000 artisans to be recognised locally and internationally and be able to acquire government contracts and get formal employment," said Maindi.

He announced that the government has teamed up with TVET centres in ensuring that artisans undergo training and join formal learning institutions to further their professions.

"We are working with the Sigalagala National Polytechnic and other institutions which will act as assessment centres, and we are urging people to visit these training centres for training and assessment and acquire certificates that befit their line of profession and we are going to work with Kenya Jua Kali Federation Association and we are going to base on the competency," said Maindi.

The Sigalagala National Polytechnic Principal, Evans Bosire, assured artisans that the institution is ready and well equipped for training and assessment of RPL and CBET programmes.

"We are telling Kenyans that we are ready for RPL and CBET programmes because of materials we have, and currently we have students who are going for the training in 12 weeks, and at the end of the period they are going to get valid certificates just like Knec which no one else can get," said Bosire.