On the night of August 5th, 2019, I had the privilege of tuning into a riveting panel discussion on Youth, Education, and Jobs hosted by Citizen TV at the Two Rivers Mall Nairobi. The discussion, expertly moderated by Waihiga Mwaura and Mashirima Kapombe, featured esteemed speakers such as Prof Margaret Kobia, Cabinet Secretary for the Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs, Josiah Moriasi, CEO of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, Naomi Onyango, Innovation Challenge Officer powered by the Kenya Youth and Employment Opportunities project (KYEOP), and Roy Sasaka Telewa, CEO of the National Youth Council. The panellists engaged in a thought-provoking dialogue centred around the upcoming Youth International Day and the pertinent question, “Do the youth have anything to celebrate?” The theme of this year's Youth International Day, as set by the United Nations, is Transforming Education. As the discussion unfolded, the panellists fielded questions from the audience, adding a dynamic element to the discourse.
The panel discussion elicited a wide range of responses from the youth, reflecting the diversity of their experiences and perspectives. The Youth Enterprise Development Fund, a state corporation that provides financial and business development support services to youth-owned enterprises, was a topic of both praise and criticism. While some shared inspiring success stories, others voiced concerns about the application process for funds, citing it as overly complex. Josiah Moriasi, the CEO, acknowledged the challenges but also highlighted the progress made in transforming the lives of the youth. However, he also acknowledged that these changes, while significant, are still a tiny part of the overall picture. This divergence of views raises the question of what could be the underlying issue here.
As the discussion progressed, it became clear that the landscape of education and employment has undergone significant changes. Prof Margaret Kobia, in her role as Cabinet Secretary for the Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs, emphasized the need to transform education to equip the youth for the competitive world. In the past, a good education and high grades were often seen as a guarantee for a job. However, this paradigm has shifted, and the youth now face a more challenging and competitive job market. This shift in the job market dynamics underscores the importance of the panel discussion and the need for continued dialogue on these issues.
The government, recognizing the challenges faced by the youth, has invested significantly in Technical vocational training. These programs offer hands-on practical skills in areas such as mechanical, electrical, building and construction, plumbing, food and beverage. While the government acknowledges that there may need to be more high-quality jobs at the moment, they are committed to providing opportunities for the youth to empower themselves and gain employment. This is a reassurance that the government is working towards a better future for the youth.
In addition to that, we have the Kenya youth employment opportunities program (KYEOP) which was represented by Naomi Onyango. KYEOP offers training and apprenticeships to the youth in different business areas. From the audience, we had Harry (not his real name) a beneficiary from the KYEOP training and now admits he can manage and administer his own business and above all he doesn’t depend on anyone for his lively hood. His success story is a testament to the transformative power of these programs. KYEOP also offers training in life skills, core business skills, internship opportunities, and labour market information. NYS wasn’t left behind. Joshua (not his real name) also from the audience had a remarkable story of how NYS transformed his life. He was one of the street children that were given a second chance and taken in the NYS to be educated. This was during the regime of Kenya's former President, Hon. Mwai Kibaki. Being an orphan he knew this opportunity might be the only chance life would hand to him so he gave it his all. He went through vigorous training graduated and with a new attitude and new life landed a job and later invested in plots. From the tone of his voice, you could tell he was proud to be an alumnus of NYS. Another guy, Steve - not his real name also shared his story from the same institution. He started by saying he was surprised to hear youth get funding for their business because he started with nothing and toiled on his own until now his business has grown and so far he can say he is doing well. He mentioned that one of the lessons he learned from NYS is resilience. He gave an example of when he was looking for an internship at a certain company and he was told they don't offer internships, never have. His ears heard right, but his mind interpreted the answer even better. They have never offered internship meaning he could be their first-ever intern. Steve persisted at the same company until he was taken in as their first intern. Resilience, persistence, and determination are what the youth need to embrace.
Entrepreneurship is not a walk in the park. Businesses may falter in the first one, two, or even three years. In most cases, failures are inevitable. However, it's crucial to remember that 50% of youth who join the world of entrepreneurs give up on the first few attempts. As Steve from NYS wisely said, resilience, persistence, and determination are what the youth need. Anyone who wants to start their own business must know how to deal with losses, disappointments, rat races, and failure. If they venture into business expecting to be served a bowl of honey but instead get a lemon, without a doubt most of them will walk away. Nevertheless, if they knew they would get a lemon at various points, especially when starting, and were taught how to swallow the bitter taste or, better yet, make lemonade strong-heartedly, they would soldier on until they get that jar of honey. If they hear and learn of people who were able to survive through this, what it took and how they came out victorious, they would be more psychologically, emotionally, and physically prepared for what is coming. Transforming Education is precisely what we need to inspire and equip the youth for entrepreneurial success.
As Prof. Kobia rightly pointed out, while the government is making efforts to curb the unemployment problem, the youth also have a crucial role to play. “It is an individual responsibility, instead of complaining about what is not there, use what is there.” This statement underscores the power of individual agency and the need for the youth to take control of their own futures, using the resources and opportunities available to them.
Use what you have to get what you want. It is high time we changed our mentality about the notion of going to school to get a job. Things don’t work like that anymore. What is Education? It is the process of acquiring knowledge and skills. These knowledge and skills are at your disposal and since you have them you can do with them as you please. You can look for employment, you can venture into self-employment or better yet become an employer. Josiah Moriasi emphasized so much on empowering youth to become employers because it will help reduce the percentage of jobless youth. Most people have fixed their minds to the first use of knowledge and skills - look for employment. What happens when it takes too long to get a job? When you don’t get a job that caters for your needs? Or when you never get a job? Because we didn’t open our mind to the two other possibilities of using our skills we get stuck and that is where everything comes crumbling down in the lives of many young graduates. When transforming Education we need to let the students know while they are still learning especially in colleges and universities that there is more than just looking for jobs. They need to see and learn the different options. They need to keep an open mind, be open to possibilities and be prepared to deal with what is to come. This adaptability and open-mindedness are key traits that will prepare them for the challenges and uncertainties of entrepreneurship.
There is a dire need for transformation in Education in order to save the perishing generation.