FINALLY ISO9001:2015 CERTIFIED!
Jubilation it was on receiving our ISO Certification.
This much awaited certificate was received on Monday the 14th of December 2020 after a long long journey.
The journey to ISO certification started in the year 2011 at which time Kagumo Teachers’ Training College was seeking certification using the 9001:2008 standards. After a good number of fruitless years, there was need to migrate to 9001:2015; the new certification standard. This migration took place in 2018 with the Quality Management System (QMS) being launched on 22nd November 2018. The process started all over again with numerous sensitization meetings and a good number of trainings to bring on board members of the institution who could help champion the process. These members of staff, teaching and non –teaching, were trained as internal auditors and were invaluable in preparing the institution for the final certification. Three internal quality audits were conducted during the implementation stage after which the College felt ready to apply for certification.
The body identified for this exercise was Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). Upon application, KEBS conducted the stage 1 audit on 26th September 2019. They advised on the areas that needed to be addressed and then came back for the Stage 2 audit on 29th and 30th January 2020. During this audit 6 non conformities were identified and the College was able to undertake corrective action despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
So how does Kagumo College stand to benefit from ISO certification?
It is expected that we shall have increased customer satisfaction, improved quality of products (graduates), improved service delivery, improved efficiency in conducting college business, improved employee satisfaction all made possible by the fact that we shall be working within laid down procedures and processes. What’s more, our graduates will now be accepted internationally; can work anywhere in the world as Kagumo college is now recognized internationally!
We say Bravo to Mr. John Gichohi, Senior Master Quality Assurance and Standards for spearheading the exercise and holding on tenaciously even when things seemed to be moving very slowly and to the Chief Principal for embracing ISO; and making certification a reality in the short period of time he has been CEO at Kagumo. Bravo to each and every member of the College – Teaching and non- teaching staff and students – and to the Board of Management as well, for making it happen.