WHY KENYAN GRADUATES ARE BEING TRAINED FOR YESTERDAY’S JOBS

Kenya has one of the youngest populations in the world .
About one third of the country is actually under 35 .Many people may think this is a win win situation for Kenya but actually it’s the complete opposite.
There is a silent crisis that is ongoing where there is a big mismatch in skills that has kept thousands of graduating students on the sidelines of the job market .Each year we have millions of young Kenyans joining the hunt for work but we don’t have enough jobs for them all and we aren’t even close to have enough for them .
It’s only a small percentage of the graduates that actually even manages to land something formal .
The numbers actually on ground are alarming .
We have 43 % of Kenyans between the ages of 18- 35 who are currently unemployed and actively job hunting .
This is way higher compared to the older generations.

When we come to search for the truth we find that this is not just about numbers .We have a deeper problem as a nation.The education system is currently lagging behind .It has been stuck in the same position for quite some years now .This makes them have graduates who are ready for jobs that don’t even exist anymore .On the other hand companies actually want people who can work with the new technologies and solve real problems and think on their feet .

Picture this ; Fresh graduates , waving their diplomas and being met by signs saying no experience required or skills mismatch.With all their years of hardwork they get heartbroken seeing their CVs get tossed aside .This is actually hurting us as a nation.The world bank says that skills mismatch is making growth to be stagnant both for the corporate and Kenya .Lost innovation, more inequa6 and a society that feels stuck .
On paper , youth employment currently is at about 11.9 % for those aged 15 to 24 but the number is a tiny drop in the ocean.When you count the informal sector and underemplyment ,reports say that the real joblessness for young people will be as high as 67 % .This is a frustrated generation , and it’s slowing down any progress towards Vision 2030 .

What Behind This Mess ; An Outdated Curriculum .

At the heart of it all ? We have an education system that hasn’t kept up with the times .
Kenyan Universities and Colleges still focus on more of theories and memorizing facts rather than the hands- on- skills that are actually needed in the job market.
A study in 2020 showed that students spend too much time preparing for exams instead of learning how to solve problems and use digital tools . The Competency Based Curriculum which was introduced in the year 2017 was supposed to focus on practical skills .But it was met by some big road blocks where teachers aren’t getting enough training and schools don’t even have the resources that they need .So, the impact so far is very limited .

Take technology for example , Kenya’s silicon Savannah is thriving , Safaricom with M-Peaa or fintech companies like M-Kopa .But a lot of computer science graduates don’t understand the basics of what is needed in this spaces like python ,cloud platforms or agile project management.

Universities aren’t moving fast enough so graduates are missing our on coding and cyber security skills .This stories replicate themselves even in the manufacturing and engineering fields .Companies like Base Titanium in Kwale County struggle to find locals who know how to handle mining tech or data to make the operations more efficient.
According to a survey done by World Bank , over 30 % of Kenyan Firms say their biggest headache is not being able to find people with the right education.Employers keep saying the education system isn’t giving graduates enough real-world experience .

The Way Forward: A Collaborative Overhaul

Tackling this requires urgent, multi-stakeholder action. modernize curriculum: The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) must partner with industry through KEPSA and FKE to embed practical modules, such as project-based learning in IT and green skills for sustainability. The World Bank advocates incentivizing on-the-job training through subsidies and sector-specific policies.

Kenya’s youth are its greatest asset. With decisive reforms backed by government approval ratings on jobs at a dismal 22% this scandal can become a success story. The World Bank warns of a global jobs crisis, but Kenya can lead Africa by bridging this gap, turning unemployment into innovation. The time for action is now.