KNQA Director General Backs National AI Skilling Drive at KAISA Partners Breakfast

The Director General of the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA), Dr. Alice Kande, today joined key public and private sector leaders at the Kenya AI Skilling Alliance (KAISA) Partners Breakfast meeting to advance plans for positioning Kenya as a continental leader in artificial intelligence (AI) skills development.

The high-level meeting, convened under the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), brought together stakeholders including Microsoft, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the State Department for Labour & Skills Development, alongside other strategic partners committed to shaping Kenya’s digital future.

KAISA has set an ambitious target of equipping one million Kenyans with AI-related skills, a move expected to significantly boost the country’s competitiveness in the global digital economy. Speaking at the forum, Dr. Kande reaffirmed KNQA’s central role in ensuring that the rapid expansion of AI training is underpinned by quality assurance, credibility, and global recognition.

She noted that KNQA will ensure AI programs developed under KAISA are accredited and standardized to meet both national and international benchmarks. This, she said, will safeguard the integrity of the qualifications awarded and enhance the global mobility of Kenyan talent.

In addition, KNQA will facilitate Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), creating pathways for self-taught and informally trained AI practitioners to obtain formal certification. This approach is expected to unlock opportunities for thousands of skilled individuals who have acquired competencies outside traditional academic systems.

Dr. Kande also emphasized the importance of stackable credentials, revealing plans to implement a micro-credentialing framework that allows learners to progressively build verifiable digital portfolios. Such a system will enable continuous upskilling while aligning qualifications with evolving industry demands.

By anchoring KAISA’s objectives within the National Qualifications Framework, KNQA aims to ensure that AI skills development in Kenya is not only rapid but also structured, credible, and globally competitive.

Stakeholders at the breakfast meeting underscored the need for sustained collaboration between government, industry, and development partners to realize Kenya’s AI ambitions. The initiative is widely seen as a cornerstone in advancing innovation, enhancing employability, and strengthening Kenya’s position as a world-class talent hub in the digital age.

As Kenya accelerates its AI revolution, KNQA’s regulatory oversight is set to play a defining role in building a trusted, future-ready workforce for the global marketplace.