During the Skill Up Africa Conference, themed “Youth Empowerment through AI and Digital Skills,” KNQA Officer Ms. Rita Mudza actively participated in a panel discussion focused on unlocking employment opportunities in the digital economy. She acknowledged Kenya’s youthful population as a valuable asset and emphasized that the digital economy is no longer a future concept—it is our current reality.
Ms. Mudza underscored the need to make skills visible and credible, regardless of whether they are acquired formally, informally, online, or through work experience. She highlighted the importance of flexible qualification pathways such as the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), modularised curriculum design, and emerging qualifications like micro-credentials. These tools, she noted, ensure inclusivity and recognition of diverse learning experiences.
She further elaborated on the role of the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) in bridging the skills gap by promoting the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF), which enables seamless progression across sub-frameworks and supports lifelong learning.
Ms. Mudza invited youth and stakeholders to utilize the National Qualifications Database (NQD)—an interactive online platform that hosts all recognized qualifications in Kenya. “The NQD is not just a database,” she said. “It’s a tool for empowerment. It helps employers verify qualifications, assists learners in charting career pathways, and ensures that all skills—no matter how or where they were gained—are visible and valued.”
Her message resonated strongly with participants as she called on training institutions to align their programs with the KNQF, ensuring that they remain relevant in a dynamic, innovation-driven job market.
