• Urges students not to seek white collar jobs but study technical courses such as plumbing
Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Northeastern counties have been employing unqualified staff at the expense of residents with university degrees, Garissa Township MP Aden Duale has said.
Speaking at Garissa Primary School on Saturday, he said the counties have been unfairly hiring staff with questionable academic backgrounds, leaving hundreds with genuine papers out of work.
The National Assembly Majority leader said it will be difficult to persuade children to work hard in school if employment remains skewed.
Duale spoke when he officially opened the Pastoralist Education and Career Fair.
He criticised universities for offering courses that do not benefit graduates. Duale said universities must help students make better career choices.
“We need to be honest with our sons and daughters and tell them the truth, that some of the courses they are studying will never get them jobs,” he said.
Duale singled out political science saying, "I've always asked myself the relevance of one studying a course in political science when we all know that everyone can ask for votes and get elected.”
The MP told students not to wait for white collar jobs. He urged them to study technical courses such as plumbing, which will make them self-sufficient.
Duale said education of pastoralist children was a priority for the government. “All leaders from Northeastern should come up with sufficient mentorship programmes to ensure every child enjoys the right to education,” he said.
Last week, Garissa Governor Ali Korane urged students to choose professions with ready employment.
Korane spoke when he officially launched a Sh60 million County Scholarship Fund. He said he was concerned that most students were pursuing courses with no employment opportunities.
Korane said teaching, a course that has not attracted students from the region, is the most marketable in the area.
“I personally don’t understand the logic behind the belief among our children that the teaching profession is still rated among the lowest when it comes to careers. One thing they forget is that it has ready employment,” he said.
Korane said local leaders have been on the forefront in urging students to pursue teaching courses "because we desperately need more teachers."