THE SKILLS DEFICIT: WHY DEGREES ALONE DON’T GUARANTEE JOBS

Academic excellence is always the expectation of every student, teacher and parent.Students that score good grades in highschool always earn themselves free university entry in Kenya , they are always treated with a distinguished attention in the society.

Digital learning in the newly implemented Carriculum 

These students are always a hope for the society and the villages from where they come. It should be observed that in Kenya, showcasing academic excellence is considered a shining path to an affluent life for those that eventually secure employment either in the public or private sector.

According to the ministry of Education in Kenya, about fifty thousand graduates are channeled out of private and public universities in Kenya every year. The most disturbing instance is that these 50,000 graduands are pilled onto the estimated 2.3 million unemployed youth already in existence. Research elucidate that out of this estimated number of graduands only about half of them are capable of using the skills they acquired to bring a change in the society.

It should further be noted with keen interest that the previous  education carriculum in Kenya drew more focus on theoretical learning that deterred production of skilled personnel, this  instance is blamed for the massive unemployment rates beeing experienced. Did you know that only a few disciplines in the fields of natural sciences like medicine and engineering engage practical learning? 

Majority of students about 68% who graduate from universities in Kenya become professionals in the fields of arts and social sciences. These fields are therefore saturated with an influx of job seekers whereas there are less opportunities. Their counterparts in the fields of natural sciences tend to be luckier since they are few and high on demand. It should otherwise be noted that the insufficiency of graduands in the fields of natural sciences, health sciences and physical sciences is as a result of poor academic performance realized in secondary schools in Kenya where students fail in Sciences and excell in languages and arts.

Fresh graduands ready for the scarce opportunities 

To raise the number of science based professionals in the country, the Kenyan government introduced Technical and Vocational Training (TVETS) Institutes, The Kenya Medical Training Centers (KMTC) amongst many other institutes. These institutes absorb about 350,000 students who fail to secure university entry. About 14,000 graduands find their way out of this institutes yearly armed with certificates and diplomas in various courses.

TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTES

The TVETS began as an entry point to those who either did not attain the C+ K.C.S.E grade, but of late the institutions are recording a higher number of students joining with quality grades above C+. Many students are opting for these institutes given that they emphasize on practical learning hence producing well skilled technicians whose capability to explore different job markets for opportunities is at par.

Stakeholder engagement on the future of education.

“We have an education system that teaches people how to pass exams, not how to solve real-world problems.” The head of state, Dr. Ruto has of recent past been seen agitating for expanding of these institutes by encouraging the youth who already graduated with bachelor's degrees from universities but are non skilled to join this institutions for artisan courses like, welding, plumbing, electrical engineering and masonry courses of which he assures them of securing jobs in the ongoing affordable housing project which has brought on board over 26,000 youths countrywide since it's onset.

COMPETENCY BASED CURRICULUM

The late professor George Magoha, then the education cabinet secretary expressed a lot of confidence in this carriculum, he once said "The Competency-Based Curriculum is designed to equip learners with practical skills, not just theoretical knowledge. It’s a shift from cramming to creating.” CBC is likely to foster a change and rescue the ailing child through ensuring production of skilled professionals who can steer economic development in Kenya, this is because this curriculum emphasizes on the practical aspects of learning (active learning) that gives  individuals an  opportunity to engage in an interesting learning experience as they get equiped with the required skills.

It is therefore important that students in institutions of higher learning in Kenya empresses a research culture that will stimulate thought provoking ideas that  can shape their professionalism through gaining of hand-on-work skills , Institutions of higher education should further utilize technology in content delivery to enhance the competency of students in the ever evolving world of globalization.

The National government in collaboration with devolved governments should initiate development projects that will absorb the population of over  50,000 graduands released into the job market annually .

Inevitably it is good to remind ourselves that self-employment is the only sure trajectory that can solve unemployment in Kenya only but for those that are conversant with the necessary skills to invade the world of opportunities.