ICDL Africa’s Accreditation Renewal in Kenya: What This Means for Digital Skills
On December 10th, ICDL Africa officially received a renewed accreditation certificate from the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA). This important event was attended by senior leaders from the KNQA, the Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy, Konza Technopolis, and Nairobi County, ICDL Foundation CEO alongside our partner Accredited Test Centres (ATCs) in Nairobi and surrounding areas.
The ICT Secretary in the Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy, Mrs. Mary N. Kerema, OGW, spoke about how crucial this accreditation is. She highlighted that as the country provides digital tools, ICDL is a key partner in training the people who will use them. She stressed that the Qualifications Framework is the solution to confusing, fragmented, or fake certifications. It aims to achieve quality, relevance, and access to qualifications in Kenya. She made it clear that ICDL’s official accreditation by KNQA creates major opportunities for the program to be adopted and for projects to happen in both government and private sectors in Kenya.
In her words, “Digital skills are a prerequisite for citizens to participate in the Digital Economy and their ability to contribute to the competitiveness of our country in the global marketplace. Smart skills will enable every Kenyan to have access to digital technology, have the literacy and know-how to use this technology, and be able to participate in and create with this technology. If technologies and all other complementary factors were in place, but people did not have the skills to use such technologies, there would be no impact. We encourage stakeholders and the youth to develop their digital skills as they are essential to enhance employability. ICDL Programme is also key for those who are already in service in different workplaces as the skills have been proven to enhance productivity.”
We were honored to hear a message from the KNQA CEO/Director General Dr. Alice Kande, which was delivered by the Director of Accreditations, Mr. James Tegeret. He congratulated the ICDL Africa team for securing a lifetime renewal of the accreditation, following the initial five-year period. This shows that ICDL Certification is trusted. It is a crucial digital skills program suitable for anyone with a minimum of a Grade 9 certificate and above. Therefore, it should be made easily available through partnerships with Schools, TVET Institutions, and Higher Learning Institutions across the country.
The ICDL Foundation CEO, Damien, also addressed the participants. He challenged them to ensure Kenya is well-prepared for the new era of Artificial Intelligence (AI). He mentioned that AI should not be viewed as a threat to jobs. It will only threaten those who are unprepared. The best way to prepare the population is to ensure they have the right digital skills, which will be a great help for countries moving toward digital economies.
The event was also addressed by the director from Konza Technopolis who urged everyone to spread the word about digital skilling widely. He said we cannot afford to have a population that lacks the skills needed to navigate our digital world. He mentioned that Konza is working with the Ministry of ICT to ensure broadband internet is available everywhere, which makes reskilling the population even more important.
The Chief Officer for Health at Nairobi County, Mr. Sande Oyolo, reminded the audience that the need for digital skills applies to all sectors. He emphasized the need for ICDL ATCs to be ready to support the skilling goal. Since ICDL has been proven globally, it is the right path forward.
Finally, representatives from the attending ATCs expressed their gratitude for ICDL’s efforts to ensure the certification is adopted in the country as the digital skills standard.
