Kenya's obsession with degrees will take the country nowhere

[t2011]

t.co/JdTWbXkFQD

Kenya employment industry and political sphere is full of degree mania . But before i go further, where will the degree holders of this country take it to , they have perfected the art of deceit , corruption, election fraud , negative politics both on the 2 divides ( in opposition and ruling party) , in counties , in schools and universities, all those ills you can think of are done by degree holders .

So the worship of degrees should stop, in all spheres of the economy we need managers and their assistants , so if everybody will be having a degree while his academic background is poor what end result will it be ,we will get people who do not live to procedure , integrity and honest but corrupt , deceitful and tribal leaders and managers .

So to dear kenyans , let us stop this mania about degrees it is taking us nowhere.

Let me attest i don't have a degree but my grasp of economics, law, banking , ICT , politics , social and geopolitics of kenya is top-notch, have been to virtually all corners of kenya and i know it very well.

But some degree holders who went to there village schools then excelled and headed straight to university have perfected the art of lording and tribal jingoism in the name of degree holding this must stop , am not envious of them it is just that i had no time to go to university to study some generalist degrees that were not making sense to me, so i took another root in life to which i believe is more fulfilling .

So this madness of politicians , senators and governors to have degree is just hogwash , let us be real and enforce chapter 6 of the constitution and the economy and integrity act on leaders no matter who it befalls , if well laid academic setup anybody with a pass of C in form exams can make a wonderful leader if his path is well structured no matter the root being certificate , diploma or via degree root provided he is a man or woman of integrity and honesty to which most of our leaders and managers are lacking just yapping degree, degree day in day out, so as to have a private members club of degree holders, but bordered on mediocrity. And may i ask can you eat a degree , it is just a piece of paper what matters is your mental acumen and clean heart.

[dineo]

Last year when I as in Mombasa, I went to visit a relative who is now a senior politician there. While in his office, he asked me to read a speech he had written and was going to present to some dignitaries (foreign). He had started the speech with the word "Nevertheless".

Elimu bandia.

This man has a "Master's Degree".

[podp]

The country's daunting unemployment rate has not been improved by the thousands of graduates annually leaving college with high hopes and no skills. Only recently, Education CS, Professor Jacob Kaimenyi noted that universities “no longer teach graduates about entrepreneurship, lobbying or proposal writing, denying them an opportunity to create jobs.” How apt. Yet the buck still stops with him on ensuring that Kenya’s higher education is tailored to industry relevance and future innovation.

kenyansabroad.org/index.php?route=bloginfo&id=32

Today, nearly nine out of ten school-age Kenyans under 11 are now in education." However, quantity is not quality. Often this does not result in kids actually receiving an education because of how the public school system is run. Absenteeism amongst teachers is high and on average, pupils receive just a good two hours of instruction per day. Do kids at least get value for (not-official-fee) money during those hours?

- See more at: www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-156407/obsession-quantity-kenyas-main-undoing#sthash.ftQGdm63.dpuf

The main grievance given by the students has to do with the lack of accreditation of their engineering degrees by the Engineering Board of Kenya (EBK), something which they say has fallen on the deaf ears of their respective university administrations for long....I believe it is a polite way of saying the courses being offered in these institutions are substandard.

mediamaxnetwork.co.ke/peopledaily/115529/rapid-university-expansion-bred-mediocrity/

but despite the above what we need to improve on is the standards, accreditation and categorization of university. most usually teach. most jobs on offer pay graduates better than those without degree

[kamalet]

It is all down to Darwin's theory of selection....!!!!

Good old Oloo wa Jukwaa will tell you that when he finished his 'O' levels he was not going to really struggle to get a job whilst when he was done with his 'A' levels he was almost guaranteed to get a job. Most secretaries (whom we call personal assistants or executive assistants) only needed KJSE level of education and a Pitman's certificate! The PA will need to have a university degree to get the 'secretarial' job!

Today, for a clerical job, one needs a university degree and this is only because there are many graduates looking for the same job a Form Four leaver can do. It then becomes important to have that degree for the entry level jobs. Higher up, the number of people undertaking their Master's degrees continues to grow since managerial jobs now require a holder of a Master's degree...not because the Master's makes you cleverer, but because it allows you to beat a first degree holder who would easily do that job!

The debate on how well baked these degree holders are can be an interesting one.....but the debate will completely ignore the poor ones that cannot afford a bridging course that leads to qualifying to take a degree course. How about developing a national vocational qualification course? Some of the best colleagues I have worked with at our UK head office only have an NVQ certificate and the rest has been sweat to get their professional qualification! That university degree did not matter a lot!!

[podp]

Nov 3, 2014 9:40:14 GMT 3 kamalet said:

It is all down to Darwin's theory of selection....!!!!

!

very correct what you state about job qualification/availability as times change.

www.cue.or.ke/news-and-events/89-credit-accumulation-and-transfer-system-enters-its-fifth-phase

the above only favors the moneyed and is a sieve used to bring in module 2. although observation below rings true,,,,,

However, when political power players rise up to clamor for upgrades of technical colleges to full universities, with no regard to the availability of qualified lecturers and personnel; industry partnerships; infrastructure and resources necessary for cutting-edge research, Kenya’s growth sits on a weak foundation. Cases that include students attending lectures through windows or under trees, lack of printing services for assignments, and the constantly striking lecturers, are all damning reports that make us question the country's readiness for more universities.

kenyansabroad.org/index.php?route=bloginfo&id=32

the above group opening gives a perfect answer and opportunity for those able to....

On brain-banking: We have taken the important measure to build a database of diaspora voters, lobbyists, investors, professionals and philanthropists. It will include a brain-bank of skilled Kenyans to allow for the reversal of brain-drain. The government and private sector can tap into it. It's already in operation with diaspora Kenyans signing up.

The Kenya Scholars and Studies Association led by Dr. Kefa Otiso in Ohio is ready to teach classes in Kenya online, mentor graduate students, and travel to Kenya to teach short courses.

www.kenyansabroad.org

local efforts have resulted in what the CS is complaining about, but is shows opportunities available....

He said such lecturers had no time to do any research before they step into lecture halls adding that they also lacked time to have quality interaction with students in and outside the lecture halls.

kassfm.co.ke/home/index.php/component/k2/item/1768-cs-kaimenyi-expresses-concern-that-some-lecturers-in-local-universities-had-teaching-engagements-in-many-universities.html

so just like in the 70s anyone with form four level would get a job as primary school teacher, now to teach in a university you need the masters degree and hence the longevity of 'someni vijana' mantra still paying dividends in Nairobi and elsewhere national university are established.

Oct 28, 2014 14:24:59 GMT 3 t2011 said:

t.co/JdTWbXkFQD

Kenya employment industry and political sphere is full of degree mania .

So to dear kenyans , let us atop this mania about degrees it is taking us nowhere.

Let me attest i don't have a degree but my grasp of economic, law, banking , ICT and political , and social and geopolitics of kenya is top-knotch, have been to virtually all corners of kenya and i know it very well.
.

the above is trying to romantically recall stone age days and pre colonial times wishing a return there. reminds me of the green energy advocates not yet running factories without the systemic change in modes of production. countries like South Korea leap frogged by boasting a high literacy and degree acquisition

I would assume 90%, but it should be noted that it is extremely easy to be accepted to a University in South Korea and a lot of courses lack creativity and practicality. A strong focus on theory, memorization of facts and having social status graduating from University..

www.quora.com/What-is-the-percentage-of-degree-holders-in-the-South-Korean-employment-market

Primary education is compulsory. It has been free since 1979. At the age of six, children are admitted to a school in their residential area. By the late 1960s, the primary school enrollment rate reached 100 percent. Once children enter primary schools, they automatically advance to the next grade each year.

Middle school education is compulsory for all students ages 12 to 15, but free only to a limited number of students. Free middle school education began in 1985 in farming and fishing areas and is to be expanded nationwide step by step

Read more: South Korea - Educational System—overview - Percent, Schools, School, and Students - StateUniversity.com education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1400/South-Korea-EDUCATIONAL-SYSTEM-OVERVIEW.html#ixzz3I1tVEQsL

so way out is to meet our young peoples' desire for whatever type of education. certificates, diplomas and degrees for all should be the path that leads to more wealth creation by the next generation. talking of it we need to consider revising voting age to 16 years and hence guarantee all future voters and decision makers that you spend your first 16 years in school obtain a certificate, diploma and/or degree.

here are two key steps Africa can take now that can help to convert the "youth bulge" from a threat into a development opportunity. The first is political inclusion, by lowering the voting age, and the second is expanding opportunities for technical training and associated job creation.

Most African countries have set the minimum voting age at 18. The decision to do so is based more on tradition and less on careful observation of social, economic and political realities. Demographic shifts, education, greater access to new technologies, access to information and political awareness have significantly improved decision-making among Africa's youth.

www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/feb/09/africa-youth-lower-voting-age-16?CMP=twt_gu&utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=buffer5ad81&utm_medium=twitter

think of it and how to solve the desire for being useful in society and Kenya's obsession with degree is taking us places.

[Luol Deng]

Education is one issue I am passionate about, but rather than discussing the issue of being obsessed with degrees aka papers, we have to get to the bottom of the issue. The obsession with degrees is at the tip of the iceberg, the point where one can't help but notice the visible signs but all in all the malaise runs much deeper.

The problem starts at primary school level. Since sometime in the mid 90s when there was an explosion of result driven private schools aka academies, education has never been the same again. The newspapers have not made the problem any better by persistently shining the spotlight on the top performers, it got so bad that the ministry of education had to ban school ranking momentarily, they rescinded their decision after the schools got a way around the restriction. The school rankings were no longer being published but the schools were buying advertisement space in the local dailies to give a breakdown of how many As & A-s they had. The bottom line is that these 'academies' can only be afforded by the wealthy in society. What tactics do the academies employ? Persistent drilling, doing an insane number of tests to the extent that all possibilities are covered. We have exams that are not multiple choice or don't have questions with 1 line answers like Composition & Insha. The Compositions & Inshas are covered by drilling excessive vocabulary and encouraging the liberal use of sayings etc in the compositions, so, the testing is still substandard on that count. The well prepared pupils of the private schools easily score high marks that are unheard of in public schools, they get the chance to proceed to national schools.

In the secondary schools we have most positions dominated by ex-private school pupils but due to the quota system we have a few ex-public school pupils. Anyone who follows the secondary education of the 2 groups will immediately establish that the ones who schooled at the public schools tend to outperform those from private schools, though there are some parents who are busy circumventing the public vs private, urban vs rural setup to increase the chances of their children to secure the coveted national school positions. Unfortunately in secondary school, a lot of the national schools & high flying county schools e.g. Maranda high etc use the same tactics to secure good grades. At this point the target is a few coveted courses like Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Architecture, Computer Science & the engineering disciplines for which you must now score an A in every single subject to stand a chance. What this means is that nowadays the general maxim is "drill your students or perish". The result is that the exams are nowadays not a sufficient yardstick of a students intellect as the lecturers on this board will immediately tell you.

We have more As than ever from the secondary education yet the medical profession is nowadays descending into quackery. We have more As than ever yet we have the Kenya School of Law enforcing an additional year to the curriculum due to the law quality of our law graduates.

The solution to the educational mess is not a simple one. We have countries that we look up to like the USA & South Korea that are dissatisfied with their educational system. This lecturer thinks that people with PhDs should not lecture and that the system needs an overhaul:

time.com/3546994/reinventing-us-colleges/

The German model that relies heavily on vocational training has been touted as a great alternative to other systems that are heavily oriented towards academics, but the same German model was under heavy criticism especially during its years of low economic growth.

www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/working/prospects-in-germany/vocational-training-in-germany/

In my opinion, we need to take the German approach that stresses both applied knowledge and theory. Any well functioning economy should have a place for graduates and for middle tier college graduates. We have all the middle tier colleges being turned into universities, but these institutions don't provide most graduates with the skillset needed for rapid industrialisation. Engineers, Architects, Doctors, etc may be at the top of the food chain, but without skilled technicians we are headed nowhere. At the moment Kenyan employers are trying to retrofit such professionals into technician position, so in the end we end up retraining (in essence de-skilling) such trainees to fit into a job that doesn't fit their qualifications.