Tanzania takes another step towards strengthening RPL

The Vocational Education Training Authority (VETA), with technical support from the ILO, met to finalize the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) training of trainers (ToT) manual in Arusha from 14 to 27 December 2020.

The technical workshop, led by senior consultant in TVET training, is part of the Government of Tanzania’s objective to expand the RPL programme through VETA. Ultimately, the developed manual will help to standardize RPL activities for facilitators, assessors and moderators as the programme expands.

VETA’s Assessment and Certification Officer Ms. Rhoda John Mgaya says a systematized training of trainers will assist in, “developing and maintaining the standards for training RPL assessors and raise the standards of the RPL assessment process.”

Furthermore, a ToT manual will allow for a more sustainable programme with a clear succession plan of skills trainers. According to Mr Geoffrey Sabuni, TVET training expert and retired Director of VETA, the manual will also allow, “VETA to build a clear roadmap to ascertain the programme’s successes and failures and what has led to them.”

Mr Sabuni says a training manual will strengthen the trainers’ and assessors’ knowledge of the ‘three spheres of learning; Cognitive learning; (theoretical knowledge), Psychomotor learning (physical skills such as movement, coordination and dexterity) and affective learning (soft skills, behavior and ethics).

The ToT manual will allow VETA to further strengthen programme components such as Occupational Safety and Health (OSH). Strengthening of OSH will ensure that assessors and candidates are aware of the dimensions and consequences of work-related accidents, injuries and diseases and to place the health and safety of all candidates at their places of work.

VETA currently has 681 RPL assessors each specialising in one of 10 occupations; welding and metal fabrication, electrical installation, auto body repair, motor vehicle mechanics, masonry and bricks laying, pipe fittings, carpentry and joinery, design, sewing and cloth technology, food production, food and beverage services and sales.

To date the RPL programme has assessed 19, 558 candidates across Tanzania between 2016 and 2020.

RPL is a process of identifying, documenting, assessing and clarifying informal learning against formal education and training standards. The Government of Tanzania, through VETA run the RPL programme along with Technical support from ILO’s Skill-Up Programme funded by the Government of Norway.