Remodel education to achieve 2030 goals

Throughout its history, the education sector in Kenya has never developed a serious policy to reduce waste, waste in the sense that at the beginning of every year, thousands of young people are left with no hope of meaningfully contributing to an economy that hopes to be middle-income in less than two decades.

The simple reason is that these young people cannot move to the next stage either because of the high cost of education or capacity constraints in the education system. Although the country has widely published its 2030 goals, the education system has not been crafted in a manner that rhymes well with this ambitious plan. Essentially, how education fits in this development blueprint is not clear.

The Free Primary Education programme introduced in 2003 and praised as one of the most transformative initiatives that any government has ever taken has at least enhanced access to basic education to many poor families. But the transition rate to secondary school, estimated to be about 70 per cent, is worrying.

Based on the current performance of the economy, its focus on infrastructural development that will leave the country in debt for years to come, the growing recurrent expenditure due to the public wage, addressing the glaring deficiencies in the education system in its present form, both in capital investment and human resource, may not be possible any time soon.

One of President Kenyatta’s pledges before coming to power was that he would reform the education system to enhance quality and access.

ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS

However, it has become increasingly difficult to achieve this noble campaign promise. The waste is not only confined to primary education, but spreads to other levels, including churning out thousands of graduates who cannot find jobs.

Our education system lays emphasis on formal education, paying little attention to imparting other skills that would not only transform our economy, but also create jobs.

One of the key reforms that the government should consider is investment in vocational education. Although there have been attempts to create polytechnics across the country, they cannot accommodate the demands of the economic restructuring and modernisation that are taking place.

There is also a need to teach entrepreneurial skills in schools, expand business incubation centres and, more importantly, provide links to financial institutions.

In growing economies such as China, the education system places emphasis on vocational training. The country created a number of technical and skilled workers’ training schools after the Cultural Revolution and an effort was made to provide exposure to vocational subjects in general secondary schools, teaching courses in industry, services, business, and agriculture.

Without a skilled work force, and with the huge infrastructural projects the administration has lined up, it would be lamentable to see jobs that we can do going to foreigners.

And with their eye keen on Africa’s infrastructure development, including mega projects in Kenya, it is just a matter of time before China starts shipping in its citizens to take the jobs every unemployed Kenyan is yearning for.

Mr Obonyo is a Global Young Diplomat and an external adviser on the UN Habitat’s Youth Advisory Board. ([email protected])