IGAD member States develop regional qualifications framework to address issues of migrants

The East African Member states under their umbrella organization Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), have come up with a regional Qualification framework to address the issue of lack of harmonized and comparable standards for qualifications among migrants in the IGAD region.

Lucy Daxbache, the IGAD Head of Mission to Uganda noted that the regional qualification framework will answer the phenomenal facing IGAD region and will easy access to high quality early childhood, basic, secondary and higher education and training thereby creating skilled manpower.

Daxbache adds that the Regional Qualification Framework is one of the mechanisms and institutional arrangements put in place to keep refugees in the learning process and recognizes skills and qualification of migrants before they moved from their respective countries in IGAD Region.

Joseph Kikomeko, the Commissioner in charge of research and Innovation at the Ministry of Education and sports, said the framework comes at the appropriate time when there is need to harmonize regional qualifications among member states in the IGAD region.

Kikomeko also noted that the regional qualification framework would enable people with vocational skills to be assessed and awarded academic qualifications because they possess hands on skills.

Dr. Juma Mukhwana, the Director General of Kenya National Qualification Authority, says the framework will enable IGAD member states like Uganda without a national qualification develop it and build a database that is automated at national and regional level so as to eliminate fake academic qualifications.