NAIROBI – The East Africa Community (EAC) member states are fast-tracking harmonisation of technical training in order to boost regional integration, a Kenyan official said on Tuesday.

Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Principal Secretary Dinah Mwinzi told Xinhua in Nairobi that currently all the six member states have different national standards that govern technical training.

"So in order to enhance regional integration, the partner states have agreed to prioritise development of uniform curricula, examination, certification and accreditation of technical training institutes,” Mwinzi said during a consultative forum of vocational training institutes.

Mwinzi noted that there is already political goodwill among the Heads of State of the partner states to have a single vocational training regime due to the numerous benefits it will bring.

The representatives of the trading bloc have already drafted regulations that will be reviewed later this year.

Mwinzi said that harmonised technical training will be fully operational by the year 2020. She said that all the partner states have initiated a review of their national laws so that they conform to EAC standards.

The EAC Common Market protocol, which is currently under implementation, calls for the freedom of movement of labour across the region.

Common technical training will ensure that education and training received in one member state will be recognized in all partner states.

The PS said that currently there is an uneven distribution of skilled labor in the economic bloc.

"So harmonised regulations will help to plug skilled personnel deficit without much difficulty,” she added.

Xinhua