Tertiary institutions have been challenged to invest more in skills-development courses in bid to curb the soaring rates of unemployment in the country.
Former Chuka University vice chancellor Professor Erastus Njoka said it's important to heavily fund the courses as they are practical-based and hold solutions to many of the country’s ailing sectors.
He cited manufacturing, innovation, agriculture, research and entrepreneurship as some of the areas that need urgent focus.
"No county can develop without food self-sufficiency. It is therefore vital to improve the country’s agricultural standards lest we become slaves to other nations,” he said.
Njoka called on players in the education sector to aptly guide students to take up such courses in order to produce empowered graduates who will in turn strengthen the country’s workforce.
This owes to their relevance and demand in the modern world and the ability to tap into skills that will fill in the existing gaps and subsequently contribute to the country's economic growth.
Njoka said improved and safe ways of producing agricultural produce and enhancing their value addition will enhance competitiveness of the products on the global market.
"Let us limit the use of chemicals on the crops we grow so that our produce can be acceptable in the global market."
The educationist also decried that for a long time, tertiary institutions have been starved of funds to conduct research which he termed as a game changer into the lives of the communities.
He said research is the only mode through which solutions can be offered to an existing problem and further complement to earlier research and analysis done.
Njoka decried that for long, it had been misconstrued that the first world countries are the only nations entitled to carry out research-based studies.
"Our local institutions were for long not funded owing to such falsehoods. On the contrary, we do need funds injected into that crucial department in order to facilitate research of some of the hard pressing issues that affect our communities.”
Njoka further called on the government to support innovation departments across institutions of higher learning as they are key in complementing research as well as enriching the budding local manufacturing and industrial sectors.
He further appealed for the integration of entrepreneurship related courses in bid to sharpen skills of the business minded students.
This, he said, will enable them to effectively implement and run their business ideas with aptitude and professionalism, thus creating massive employment opportunities.
The former VC further called for sobriety in the latest conversation surrounding the privatisation of public universities and university fee hike.
He urged the State to be reasonable in its action and do that which will not oppress students from needy backgrounds.
"We have to look at all best practices from all over the world. Generally, universities are funded and I’m sure our president, who is a lover of education, will get the right advice on this.
"It is not good to privatise all universities because that is where many of the students who hail from modest to humble backgrounds go. If we privatise universities, we can have a very rough situation. Let education be affordable and students be allowed to pay that which is reasonable while at the same time, continually urge the state to offer its support to the universities,” he said.
Njoka spoke during a career exhibition event on Friday hosted in Mwea, Kirinyaga county where Form Four students interacted and got advice on course selection from experts from regional universities.
Renowned Kirinyaga businessman Charles Njiru called on more students to pursue business-related courses in a bid to join in the entrepreneurship fraternity.
He said this would help in converting more Kenyans from job seekers into job creators and help many more qualified professionals.
Njiru further called on the business minded individuals to have the boldness to convert their ideas into business ventures.
