IGAD Pushes for Seamless Skills Recognition Across Borders as Regional Qualifications Training Intensifies in Machakos
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By John Kariuki
A bold new chapter in regional education and workforce integration is unfolding in Machakos, Kenya, as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) enters Day Two of its landmark training on the IGAD Qualifications Framework (IGADQF).
The three-day workshop brings together top policymakers, national qualifications bodies, and education experts from IGAD Member States with one mission: to harmonize qualifications systems across the region and unlock mobility and employability.
Day Two focused on bridging gaps within national systems. Delegates dissected their frameworks, identified capacity challenges, and proposed joint technical interventions. Key themes included the need for robust governance structures, standard quality assurance tools, and stronger recognition of prior learning (RPL) mechanisms—essential to making lifelong learning a reality for millions.
The IGADQF aims to streamline education and training standards, aligning them with the dynamic needs of regional labor markets and enabling mutual recognition of skills across borders.
Kenya’s delegation, led by the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA), showcased the country’s multilayered system involving different quality assurance agencies for basic, TVET, and university education. KNQA emphasized its coordinating role through the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF), which promotes consistency and smooth learner progression across all levels.
The Machakos forum sends a strong signal: IGAD is serious about creating a unified regional qualifications space that drives opportunity, inclusion, and economic growth.
As the training continues, all eyes are on how these efforts will reshape education and workforce readiness in the Horn of Africa.
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