Hmmm, There is no contention on the need for hard working, innovative "ICT practitioners" passionate about their craft. What is in contention is whether this is the right time to bring in regulation to the industry, not regulation of the practice. What we don't have, because the ingredients forming the industry are still changing rapidly is an ICT profession. Will there ever be an all-round ICT "professional"? Looking at human medicine, the human body is not changing, so one can standardise the medical profession, with known practices and various specialisations once the basic learning is done. It that it? We need to accept that ICT is in everything now. And it is entering mission-critical, life dependant places. And for a doctor who wants to carry out a remote surgical operation, the ICT professional helping him set up the equipment on local and remote site better be qualified in something beyond passion and innovation. Those don’t cut it at that point. The Wright brothers had no flying license. The pilots today do. I liken it to weaving a rope. At some points all the strands have to come together and form the rope. Are we looking at the quality of the strand or the strength of the rope? If it is both, then there are two different mechanisms at play. We need to separate those. Jimmy Gitonga *Web and Motion* On 2 Dec 2016, at 11:05 AM, kictanet-request@lists.kictanet.or.ke wrote: Message: 1 Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2016 11:03:56 +0300 From: Nelson J kwaje <nelson@web4all.co.ke> To: James Muendo <james@muendo.co.ke>, KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: Re: [kictanet] ICT Authority to weed out quacks Message-ID: <c3e04afb-f032-61ab-2e5d-f8698218653d@web4all.co.ke> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; Format="flowed" @James, I like how people are open minded about ICT professional. it is okay to be a drop out, it is okay to not have any qualifications, just have passion and be good at what you do. Doctors and Pilots used to be treated the same way. few regulations, few standards and no regularity body until we realized that our lives depends on these people and their mistakes can be catastrophic. The ICT Industry is heading in the same direction. our errors are starting to cause some serious damages and the society is right when it demands some yardstick to know who is who. Will you fly with an uncertified pilot ? Can you go to the operating theater with a passionate and committed doctor but no certificate ? Why will you accept anyone to mange the system for your bank, hospital, airport and even national security. Cheers Nelson With the best regards, *Jimmy Gitonga* On Fri, Dec 2, 2016 at 11:55 AM, <kictanet-request@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

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Today's Topics:

1. Re: ICT Authority to weed out quacks (Dorcas Muthoni)

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Message: 1 Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2016 11:53:11 +0300 From: Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni@gmail.com> To: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Subject: Re: [kictanet] ICT Authority to weed out quacks Message-ID: <CACFhaS7+pQ4XqNOtGPB2Td60qxLRMA0FyCpuLt hox2PbnEamxg@mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Unfortunately, judging from my experience, both in public and private sector, HR and top IT management do indeed either get it wrong, lack ability or sometimes objectivity while onboarding vendors or staff.

In which case, industry professionals can help in defining a criteria for all. This of course should also be shared with tertiary institutions and universities.

As we know, new professions are being defined daily. Some core fundamentals remain the same.

On Dec 2, 2016 11:27 AM, "Francis Nderitu via kictanet" < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

...

In my own view this kind of vetting they are asking for should be institutional but not individual - which is already happening naturally. Does Company A have the capacity to offer service XYZ? That kind of approach could be helpful, just like in the construction industry, diffrent companies have diffrent clearance level.

On Fri, Dec 2, 2016 at 11:03 AM, Nelson J kwaje via kictanet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

...

@James,

I like how people are open minded about ICT professional. it is okay to be a drop out, it is okay to not have any qualifications, just have passion and be good at what you do.

Doctors and Pilots used to be treated the same way. few regulations, few standards and no regularity body until we realized that our lives depends on these people and their mistakes can be catastrophic.

The ICT Industry is heading in the same direction. our errors are starting to cause some serious damages and the society is right when it demands some yardstick to know who is who.

Will you fly with an uncertified pilot ?

Can you go to the operating theater with a passionate and committed doctor but no certificate ?

Why will you accept anyone to mange the system for your bank, hospital, airport and even national security.

Cheers

Nelson