The meeting brought together representatives from Partner States’ ministries, national TVET authorities, and key partners, including the ACQF-II project experts who provided technical inputs and the International Labour Organization (ILO) which supported the event financially and technically. 

Advancing regional integration through qualifications 

The development of the framework marks an important step in supporting regional integration, labour mobility, and mutual recognition of qualifications within the EAC.  

Aligned with the EAC Common Market Protocol and the Harmonized TVET Strategy (2023), the framework aims to enhance transparency and comparability of qualifications, while strengthening quality assurance and lifelong learning pathways. 

Technical discussions and shared progress 

Over five days, participants engaged in country presentations, technical discussions, and drafting sessions.  

Partner States shared progress on national qualifications frameworks and TVET reforms, highlighting a clear shift towards competency-based and outcome-oriented systems, increasingly aligned with regional and continental initiatives such as the ACQF.  

At the same time, common challenges were identified, including capacity constraints, gaps in governance frameworks, and the need for stronger industry engagement and digital systems.  

Refining the regional framework 

The meeting focused on strengthening the draft framework as a regional reference for comparability, recognition, and portability of qualifications.  

Participants agreed on several key improvements, including: 

• Expanding the framework to ten qualification levels; 
• Reinforcing mechanisms for credit transfer, recognition of prior learning, and micro-credentials; and 
• Enhancing the use of digital tools to support transparency and cross-border recognition.