PR Body names team to steer its certification process Nairobi, 3rd July 2019
A working group to develop a curriculum for the certification of public relations practitioners in Kenya has begun its work.
The team, established by the Public Relations Society of Kenya held its inaugural meeting held at the Hotel Intercontinental on Wednesday morning.
The thirteen members Working Group is chaired by veteran Communication and media Scholar professor Murej Mak’Ochieng of the Multi Media University. Mr Arik Karani will be the Secretary of the team.
The team will establish a process and put in place structures for admission of competent and deserving members to the Society.
“The certification will serve as a stamp for approval to practice and an assurance by PRSK that a certified member is competent to practice at a given level,” Remarked Dr Wilfred Marube President PRSK. The team has been established to solve the perennial problems of quacks and other entrepreneurs taking over the role of professional communication, apart from ensuring ethical standards are upheld. “It is estimated that there are about 2500 unqualified people practicing public relations in Kenya,” Dr Marube told the gathering.
The team has four months to deliver its final report to the Wilfred Marube led PRSK Council. Other members of the team include Kennedy Onyonyi, Leah Eshitemi, Eunice Muthamia, Franklin Odhiambo, Henry Ndirangu, Sylvia Mwichuri, Yvonne Marete, Eric Wamanji, Samuel Karanja, Dr James Oranga and Ooga Momanyi
Dr Marube stressed on the need to enforce professional and ethical standards in the practice, “ The certification process should not be designed to lock out any one from practicing public relations.” He added, “It should admit members through an inclusive but rigorous process. Only the ones who demonstrate required competence levels should go through.”
PRSK will seek technical expertise and support from other organisations Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, Media Council of Kenya and KASNEB in coming up with the certification programme. The President reveals that the Society has submitted a draft Institute of Public Relations and Communication Management bill to Joe Mucheru, the Cabinet Secretary Information, Technology and Innovation.
“Regulating the profession through a statutory self-regulatory mechanism will help bring sanity to the industry, and earn the profession respect from its peers and the market place. Professional standards will definitely go up,” said Dr Marube
The public relations industry in Kenya is estimated to transact close to 400 billion shillings per year in business, mostly from private sector.
The current Council is one month in office having just been elected. It comprises Dr Wilfred Marube as President, Mbugua Njoroge Vice President, Lilian Nganda Secretary, Arik Karani Treasurer, Vivienne Atieno Assistant Secretary, Michelle Anekeya Assistant Treasurer and Tim Kamuzu Banda, Dr Harun Mwangi and Alfred Nganga.
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For more information Contact Maureen Koech Phone: 0700141171 Email: maureen@prsk.co.ke
In Kenya, PRSK, with more than 3000 members, was established in 1971 and serves as the umbrella professional body guiding PR practice in Kenya. The Society broadly seeks to advance excellence in Public Relations and Communication Management in Kenya and to ensure that the practice continues to thrive within the ethical framework defined by the profession. Within the East African Region, PRSK is a member of the East African Public Relations Association (EAPRA). PRSK is also a member of the Africa Public Relations Association (APRA), the continental body for all PR national associations in Africa. At the global level, PRSK is a founder member of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communications Management (GA) among other global bodies such as the International Public Relations Association (IPRA).
