Changing Job Market: KASNEB Aligns Syllabus to Address Skill Gaps

To address the huge gap between the skill set of individuals entering the job market and those desired by companies, the Kenya Accountants and Secretaries National Examinations Board (KASNEB) has introduced a new syllabus aligned with the current requirements.

The professional exam body that is mainly responsible for conducting professional, certificate and diploma exams, says the revised syllabuses are tailored to address the unique and dynamic demands in the market today. 

In addition, the new competence-based syllabuses and assessment modes are purposed to enhance global competitiveness and set successful pathways.  

The reviewed syllabuses comprising a five-tier certification from the previous three-tier model focus more on skills and competencies than knowledge.

Much emphasis has been laid on digital literacy, emerging technologies, and data analytics to prepare candidates for real-life scenarios where big data and analytics are the new norms.

Speaking during the KASNEB syllabuses launch, Dr Julius Muia Kenya’s Principal Secretary at the National Treasury and Planning, commended KASNEB for setting the pace that purposes to ensure that its graduates are ready for the market under the new dispensation.

He asserted that this is the time for both the public and business community to reposition and create more inclusive pipelines for the most-susceptible professionals by investing in new ideas and approaches to skilling youth for the future of work—not in a vacuum, but a coordinated, committed fashion.

“I wish to call upon employers to actively collaborate with KASNEB in the provision of internship opportunities to KASNEB students. The National Treasury and Planning, being the parent Ministry for KASNEB, will support KASNEB towards ensuring that its graduates are also considered in the Government internship program facilitated by the Public Service Commission,” said Dr Muia.

KASNEB’s new syllabuses include short (vocational) skills-based courses, certificates, diplomas, professional qualifications, and post-professional qualifications.

In the reviewed syllabuses, learners will be examined three times a year. The change also entails a combination of assessment methods, including workshops, projects, practical experience, and work-based simulation.

Dr Nancy Muriuki, the Chairperson of the KASNEB Board, who also attended the launch noted that the first computer-based examinations will be rolled out in December 2021, starting with certificate examinations and thereafter extended to cover other examinations.

“As the Government and the private sector embrace service delivery on a digital platform, KASNEB deliberately embarked on a paradigm shift from paper-based examinations to computer-based examinations, a move primed to enhance customer experience and service delivery,” she said.

Technology has changed how people relate and interact with each other in various fields. This has led to a shift in different professions hence the need to streamline content and training materials to tailor them towards rhyming with the new trends.