Professional Documents
Culture Documents
-0827)
Received in 23rd May 2016 Received in Revised Form on 15th July 2016 Accepted on 28th July 2016
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to examine the extent to which University Education contributes to youth
empowerment in Kenya. What motivates the researcher is the increasing number of youths pursuing a second
degree, thinking that what they lack is education to get a job. What remains predicament is the fact that quite a
number of youths still possess a mindset of permanent and pensionable job. Unemployment rate in Kenya has been
increasing from 12.7% (2006) to 40% (2011). The research analyses three scenarios: university programmes,
pedagogy and business attitudes of graduates. The study employed descriptive survey research design to explore the
business attitudes and skills of graduates. The target population was university graduates who engage in business
with a total of 75 respondents. Purposive and Snowball sampling were used to obtain 25 respondents from each
county of Kericho, Bomet and Narok. The graduates who engaged in business in towns were identified and ask to
identify others in turn, until the required sample was obtained. Primary data was collected using observation,
interview guide and questionnaires. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) result , P≤ 0.05,(P=0.00), revealed a positive
and significant relationship between youth empowerment and the role of university education. The regression
coefficient of determination representing youth empowerment indicates that University education contributes
62.8% (a value of R=0.628) youth empowerment. Respondents pointed rare opportunities in their areas of
specialization making them to resort to other areas for survival. The university programmes should be tailored to the
modern reality in the job market to gain competitive career market.
Introduction
UNESCO (2005) argues that after spells out the objectives of university
finishing formal education, young education. It provides for development
people should be able to subsequently and regulation of University education
make successful transition from school and centralized admission of students to
to work with the skills and knowledge tertiary institutions. Universities are key
they acquired. It is desirable of higher institutions for social change. However,
education to produce graduates who university education seems to engage
have ability to think critically and have learners without a clear vision of the
personal, social and communication. kind of society they intend to work in.
Primary promotes growth, imparts The university Act establishes
literacy and numeracy skills and lays a Commission for University Education
firm foundation for further formal (CUE) with the powers of overseeing
education, training and life-long the establishment, governance,
learning. Secondary education on the management and quality assurance in
other hand caters for further education Kenyan institutions of higher learning.
of primary school leavers. The University Act requires CUE to
In line with the Constitution of Kenya liaise with the public and private sector
(2010), the Universities Act No. 42, 2012 to develop a national manpower
was assented to on 13th December 2012 strategy. It also requires involvement of
by Gazette notice No.192. It clearly professional & industry players in the
Africa Intern ational Journal of Man agement Education and Governance (AIJMEG ) 1 (2): 22-3 3
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Scenario 2: Pedagogy
Scenario3:Youth
Empowerment Innovation
Nature of Business
Programmes attitude and
Adaptability Skills
Driving force
-
programmes and students to produce a
The University institutions are expected graduate with business attitude and
to provide enabling environment for skills. -
effective interaction between
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Review of Literature
The rationale for university education in also make university education and
Kenya was based on the country‟s graduates out of reality in the markets.
desire to create highly trained Farrant (1960) asserts that not all
manpower that could replace colonial learning is education. Some lecturers
administrators. The Ominde promote rote learning, mechanical
commission Report (1964) training, indoctrination or
recommended reform in education to brainwashing. Education deals with
make it more responsive to the needs of knowledge that is capable of achieving a
the society in Kenya. By 1974, provision voluntary and committed response from
of education had expanded greatly and the learner. It should also leads to a
the number of students seeking quality of understanding that gives rise
university education was becoming to new mental perspectives in the
difficult to adequately finance. The cost learner and uses methods that
of education continues to raise concerns encourage the exercise of judgment by
for the stakeholders. The cost has been the learner and the use of his/her
increasing over the past years. The critical faculties. Farrant argues that
enactment of the university education university should provide holistic or
act by parliament got started in 2012. integrated education with various
Graduates development in the branches of knowledge. Newman (2006)
universities seems to have “skills gap” maintains that the purpose of the
contrary to the desires of Ominde university is “teaching universal
commission recommendations. knowledge”.
Tairo (2006) argues that the nature of Juma (2006) says that the new generation
training of teaching staff in universities of universities ought to serve as engines
in Kenya is wanting. The poor state of of both community development and
lecturers‟ remuneration has caused the social replenishment. Nyerere (1964)
best of the brains to go searching for articulates that education is not just
better terms abroad or in the county something that happens in classrooms
governments. The survey indicates that alone, but learning from others, & from
over 40% of lecturers perform part-time experience of past success or failures.
duties in other institutions. This has Nyerere‟s views are that the objectives
resulted in teaching staff devoting little of education should be derived from
attention to research or improving needs of that society. And the role of
teaching and mentorship of students. education is to inculcate a sense of
The rapid expansion of universities in commitment to the community. Nyerere
Kenya has overstretched the services. recommends for education that leads to
Rote learning is common and lecturers people who are ready for various
dictate their notes to overcrowded responsibilities. The country should
classes. The passive approaches to focuses on education that prepares
teaching have little value to youth young people for the work and make
empowerment. The mode of assessment judgments on all the issues affecting
makes students still pass the exams and them. The Education desire should
hold certificates that lack corresponding produce people with an inquiring mind,
skills required for the job market. These an ability to learn from what others do,
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and the role of employers association in education, is quite difficult for them to
the delivery of education services. To recognize opportunities and maximize
enhance quality university education for their capabilities for productive living.
youth empowerment, the quality of These, hindering issues, therefore must
financial resource management must be be urgently addressed using relevant
assured. Where the youths in policy and management strategies if the
universities are not meaningfully dream of youth empowerment through
empowered through university university education would be realized.
Methodology
The study employed descriptive survey questionnaires, interview and
research design to explore the business observation schedules. The items in the
attitudes and skills of graduates. The questionnaire were closed-ended and
target population was university based on a seven-point likert scale. The
graduates engage in business. Being a respondents were required to indicate
survey study, a portion of the their level of agreement with the items
population was used to obtain using the key: 1-Never, 2-Rarely, 3-
information that would answer research Occasionally, 4-Frequently, 5-Very
questions .The study focused on a frequently, 6-Almost Always 7-Always.
sample of 75 graduates the three The likert scale was used so that the
counties of Kericho, Bomet and Narok. researcher would obtain interval scale
Purposive and Snowball sampling was data that is amenable to parametric
used to obtain 25 respondents from each statistics. Cooper and Schindler (2010)
county. Some graduates who are assert that the likert scale measurement
engaged in business were identified and is applicable for collecting interval data
in turn identify others until the required for use in quantitative analysis. Face to
sample was obtained. Face interview was conducted at
The researcher visited the towns in the random to establish the opinions and
three counties to reach respondents who attitudes of graduates toward business.
have completed university education Observation guide was used to assess
and engage in business. Primary data the business premises.
was collected using structured
Results
The responses from the structured YEP= β0 + β1 X1 + β2 X2 + β3 X3+ β4 X4 +
questionnaire were analysed using β5 X5 + µi
multiple linear regressions to determine
relationship between the dependent Where: YEP: Youth Empowerment, β0:
variable and the independent intercept/constant, β: Coefficients of
variables(s).The model shows the Regression, X1: Innovative, X2: Ready for
influence of university education various responsibilities, X3: Adapt reality
indicators on youth empowerment as in the job market, X4: Capable of
captured by the research questions (X1, applying values and skills, X5: Driving
X2, X3,X4 ,X5). A multiple linear force/engines for community
regression was undertaken as follows: development, µi: Error Term.
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Unstandardized Unstanda
Coefficients rdized
Model Coefficie
nts
T sign
Β Std. Beta
Error
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ANOVA test was carried out to test the results; P≤ 0.05 (P=0.00), thus the
null hypothesis: There is no significant hypothesis is rejected. This confirms
relationship between the Role of that there is correlation between youth
university education and youth empowerment and the role of university
empowerment at confidence level of education. It also indicates model fitness
95%. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) of the variables.
Discussion of Results
Career development is a lifelong process that University education has not made
of managing research, learning, work, enough interaction with labour market
leisure and transitions in order to move and curriculum seems not to meet the
toward a personally determined and reality of modern world of work.
evolving preferred future. Career The students reported that they are not
development also provides a very great given adequate opportunity to do
role towards personal development as it internships as a normal part of the
offers a person with a ground of opting educational experience. The study also
a carreer to undertake in the future. observed that many graduates work
With the widening of student choices of outside their areas of specialization in
programmes, there is greater carrying out small businesses. Students
competition for jobs. Market forces give who interacted with the research assert
rise to institutions that become that there are rare opportunities in their
specialized by function of teaching, areas of specialization making them to
research and field of business. resort to other areas for survival.
The study observed that many The study agrees with the assertions of
graduates work outside their areas of Lancrin (2004); Newman (2006) and
specialization in carrying out small Nyerere (1964) that the purpose of the
businesses. The ability of graduates to university is “teaching universal
adapt to job market is low. This implies knowledge” and help students accept
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values appropriate to their own context. observed in the survey use their minor
However, most of the graduates careers to generate earnings.
Scenario 2: Pedagogy
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Conclusion
The systems of education in Kenya tend develop positive attitude for business
to value cognitive aspect of learning and maximize their capabilities for
rather than practical work. This creates productive living.
“skills gap” in the labour market. Youth The universities need to expose
education, specifically for graduates to work experience through
empowerment purpose, has become a proper pedagogies, internships and
necessity for sustainable development. volunteering work .The university
If the youths in universities are programmes should be tailored to the
meaningfully empowered, it is easy for modern reality in the job market.
them to recognize opportunities,
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