Happy New Year to all...
This year we shall ask ourselves one pertinent question...why are ICT practitioners not recognized professionals in Kenya?
Accountants have the Accountants Act which is a statute enabling ICPAK's operation. ICPAK is therefore a professional body that oversees public interest issues affecting Kenyan accountants including discipline, audit quality assurance, standards etc.
Lawyers have the Law Society of Kenya which was established by an Act of Parliament – The Law Society of Kenya Act (Chapter 18 of the Laws of Kenya). The Law Society in its present form was formed in 1948 by section 3 of the Law Society of Kenya Ordinance, 1949. That Act was later repealed by the current Law Society of Kenya Act, which came into force on 30th October, 1992. LSK, as we all know, oversees matters of discipline, continuing education etc.
Human Resources personnnel were recently recognized as professionals through the The Human Resource Management Professionals Act, 2012. This Act provides for the establishment of the Institute of Human Resource Management and the Human Resource Management Professionals Board which will examine, register and regulate human resource management professionals.
Other professionals who are legally entrenched are:
1) Medical Practitioners - Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act
2) Architects - Architects and Quantity Surveyors Act
Why then would we espouse "digitization" in our society without having a professional body for ICT professionals?
Let us discuss!!!!
3 comments:
Quite a pertinent question you've raised there Ben. In my opinion,a body that oversees and regulates all matters ICT as pertains to professional conduct and other relevant areas is long overdue!! It would be foolhardy for us to expect projects like Konza City to be a success without such bodies in place
Nicholas, thank you very much for your comment. You are spot on, how will Konza work without professionalism, how will the Laptop project be implemented without professionalism, how will be transition from an agriculture to knowledge based economy without professionalism?
yeah why not have a specialized agency for information technology, general as it is a key sector for the country's development.
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