This archive report was first published on 13 December 2019.
December 13, 2019
Kenya's National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has introduced revised testing guidelines for trainee drivers, which will see them sit a written test for the first time.
The new syllabus is designed to ensure that drivers are thoroughly tested on both theory and practical skills before being issued with a license.
According to the NTSA guidelines, the theoretical test will consist of a continuous assessment test administered after every 40 hours of training and a final test at the end of all the units in a module.
"A performance report is prepared for each learner driver. He or she must demonstrate skills in both theory and practical lessons by attaining a pass mark of 80 percent," the guidelines state.
Under the practical test, learner drivers will be tested in a training yard to evaluate their ability to maneuver under different conditions and then taken to the road to negotiate various traffic situations.
Those who fail the theory exams will be required to retake the entire examination, while those who fail the practical exam will be required to re-sit the practical within a period not exceeding six months or register afresh and redo the course.
The revised guidelines also place a higher bar for those aiming to drive Public Service Vehicles, requiring them to master additional skills such as vehicle construction and controls, self-inspection of vehicles, and customer care.
