Kirubi maintains that it is time for universities to partner with policy-makers and the private sector so that they can produce graduates who are ready for the market /MOSES MUOKI
NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 29 – Businessman Dr. Chris Kirubi has called for stringent measures to ensure graduates joining the job market are qualified.
Kirubi cautions that some are using fake certificates to acquire demanding jobs, a move that directly impacts on the performance of institutions and consequently the country’s economy.
“We need to actually criminalize giving certificates to young people, to go in the market, where they are not prepared for. Is this the kind of leadership we need in future?” Kirubi noted.
He laments that despite government setting side lots of funds to finance youthful entrepreneurs among, the funds remain unutilized since most young people have not been trained to create businesses.
Kirubi maintains that it is time for universities to partner with policy-makers and the private sector so that they can produce graduates who are ready for the market.
“We are wasting time by just churning people not ready for the market, and therefore not distinguishing ourselves with being among the best. You keep saying, I want to go to America, I want to go to Harvard, why? They created their brands,” he added.
He was speaking on Wednesday during the launch of the University Suitability Conference in Nairobi which seeks to address some of the challenges facing the Universities and what can be done to improve them and make them globally competitive.
On his part, ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru called Universities to invest in innovative technology projects by young people which may end up creating global businesses.
With the ever growing technology, he notes that it is time for University education to focus on technology to remain relevant.
“Technology in Kenya is not a problem to us and that is why any creative innovation makes it in Kenya. Our country is so tech survey. Today many people out there don’t understand how MPESA works here. But I would tell you there are many SMSs exchanged in Nairobi than in New York,” Mucheru said.
