Kenya: Ruto Certifies 3,772 Informal Workers Under Skills Recognition Programme

What the report says

President William Ruto has overseen the certification of 3,772 artisans in Kenya under the Recognition of Prior Learning programme, according to Capital FM’s report distributed by AllAfrica. The graduation ceremony took place at State House in Nairobi and marked the first such event for the scheme. The initiative is run through the National Industrial Training Authority and is designed to assess practical skills gained through work experience, apprenticeships and other informal training rather than through formal classroom education.

The newly certified workers include people from building and construction, electrical work, textile and automotive technology, leatherwork, hospitality, ICT and cosmetology. The programme is intended to help artisans who learned through garages, construction sites, family businesses and workshops obtain nationally recognised qualifications and improve access to further training and employment opportunities.

Ruto said the effort is meant to acknowledge skills that the formal education system has not traditionally documented. He also linked the programme to wider government plans to expand technical and vocational education and address labour-market needs. As part of that broader push, the government is encouraging the use of the Fundi Locator App to connect certified workers with customers.

The report says officials plan a second phase that would assess another 20,000 skilled workers, with support from development partners including the World Bank, and later certify an additional 40,000 artisans. More broadly, the move reflects growing attention in Kenya to recognizing informal-sector skills as a route to employment and business growth.