There is a popular say, education is the key to success. This is one of the quotes used to encourage school going children to work hard with the hope of succeeding in future endeavours.
University education has produced top managers in every institution in Kenya. It’s no secret that when a student excels in school, he is taken through the system until he becomes one of the pillars of the institution he works for.
Many employers in Kenya believe that once a student goes through the 8-4-4 system, he is ripe for employment.
Though they are right, doubts still exist over the education standards in the country, especially this era of module II program which has seen the number of students in local universities soar.
In the last 10 years, the number of students joining local universities each year has more than doubled, which has led to dilution of the quality of learning in the training institutions.
There are several reports from human resource managers in the country complaining that graduates from local universities produce half-baked graduates. The recruiters have therefore resorted to hiring graduates from foreign universities, where they believe quality education is offered. Moreover, if two graduates, one from local university and another one from foreign university, attend an interview in Kenya, the graduate from local university will automatically fail the interview.
As of 2015, unemployment rate in Kenya was above 50 percent, where majority of the jobless Kenyans were degree holders. Compared to the level of unemployment in the year 2010-which stood at below 40 percent-this increase is worrying to the entire Kenyan population.
It’s not a secret anymore that several Kenyan graduates have dropped application letters to several institutions with the hopes of getting jobs without slightest chances of success. A number of graduates are now sleeping on their several acquired certificates, those who are lucky to think as entrepreneurs have resorted to start businesses.
Projections indicate that in the next 10 years the situation will be worse. In every 10 graduates, 7 of them will be jobless. This scenario is going to continue for several years to come, unless prudent measures are taken to lower the level of unemployment in the country.
The only hope remaining for the Kenyan graduates is to start developing entrepreneurial minds; this is the only way their dreams will be realized. The students should be encouraged to think business instead of dreaming of non-existing jobs. Business is the only way a bright future can be realized.
Courses with big names like Masters in Business Administration, Actuarial Science and Education may not be of much help in this situation. Use the knowledge you gain from college to start a venture.
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