ARE WE EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN FOR JOBS THAT DON’T EXIST OR DENYING THEM THE SKILLS TO CREATE THEIR OWN?
By Jaymo Wa Thika
For decades, Kenya has grappled with the persistent challenge of youth unemployment, a crisis that continues to cast a long shadow over the country’s economic future. While many often view it as a modern problem, its roots stretch far back into history, shaped in part by the very foundation of our education system.
When missionaries and colonial administrators first introduced formal education in Africa, their primary objective was not to empower Africans economically, but to create a labour force. The system was structured to produce clerks, interpreters and low-cost workers who would serve colonial interests.
Over time, this model quietly instilled a powerful belief: that the purpose of education was to secure employment. This mindset took very deep roots.
A fitting reflection of that era was captured in the famous 1958 Kiswahili song “Someni Vijana” by Henry Makobi. The song urged young people to study hard so they could land respectable white-collar jobs. For years, it echoed through educational programmes on the then V.O.K (now KBC), reinforcing a singular message.... education was a pathway to employment, not enterprise.
Generations later, that narrative still remains largely unchanged. Majority of Africans believe that success in education is getting a good white collar job after schooling.
Unfortunately, independence did not entirely dismantle this mindset. After gaining independence, many African states, Kenya included, largely retained the inherited education structure. In doing so, leadership systems continued to emphasise formal employment as the ultimate goal of education. Whether by design or by circumstance, this approach reinforced a cycle where citizens increasingly depended on limited job opportunities rather than being equipped to create their own.
Over time, this has contributed to a widening gap: millions of educated young people entering a job market that simply cannot absorb them. Today, the consequences are visible. Joblessness has risen and with it, economic vulnerability among the youth.
A population that lacks opportunities can easily become frustrated, desperate and susceptible to manipulation, a reality that has shaped political and economic conversations across the country.
It is not controversial to say that a society with widespread economic dependence is easier to influence than one driven by empowered, financially independent citizens. True empowerment, through skills, innovation and enterprise creates individuals who can question systems, demand accountability and actively shape their own futures. And this is where the education system becomes central.
Kenya’s education model continues to produce graduates conditioned to seek jobs rather than create them. It is not uncommon today to hear of desperate parents parting with as much as Sh. 500,000 in bribes to secure employment opportunities for their children, funds that, if properly invested and guided, could easily start and sustain viable businesses.
At the heart of the problem lies an overly theoretical approach to learning. Students are trained to memorise, pass exams and climb the academic ladder, but often lack the practical skills needed to solve real-world problems. The outcome is a workforce of highly qualified individuals on paper, yet ill-equipped to innovate, adapt or build sustainable enterprises.
Attempts have been made in the past to reform this system. The introduction of the 8-4-4 education structure in the 1980s was initially envisioned as a more practical and skill-oriented model. However, over time, it too became heavily exam-driven, weighed down by politics and implementation challenges, ultimately failing to achieve its original intent.
More recently, Kenya introduced the Competency-Based Education (CBE), commonly referred to as the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), a bold attempt to break away from the exam-centred model.
At its core, CBC is built on a simple but powerful question: What can a learner actually do with what they have learned? The goal is to nurture job creators, innovators and skilled professionals, not just job seekers.
Under this system, learners are expected to choose pathways aligned with their strengths, interests and abilities, rather than being defined purely by grades. On paper, this represents a significant shift towards a more flexible and learner-centred approach.
However, the reality is more complex.
Certain subjects including Mathematics, Languages, Community Studies and Digital Literacy remain compulsory across all pathways. The intention is not to restrict learners, but to equip them with essential life skills that cut across every career field. Numeracy, communication, critical thinking and digital competence are, after all, foundational in today’s world.
Yet in practice, this has sparked debate. For many, it appears to contradict the very idea of “choice” that CBC promises.
The reasoning behind this structure is practical. If learners drop subjects like Mathematics or Languages too early, they risk closing doors to future opportunities, especially in a world where career paths are constantly evolving. A student who today dreams of a creative career may tomorrow discover an interest in finance, engineering or technology. A broad academic foundation keeps such options open.
In essence, these compulsory subjects are meant to empower, not confine. But here lies the delicate balance. If poorly implemented, through lack of resources, inadequate teacher preparation or continued overemphasis on testing, CBC risks sliding back into the same pitfalls it was designed to escape. Instead of nurturing competencies, it could quietly revert to theory, memorisation and exam pressure under a different name. And that would defeat its purpose.
Meanwhile, each year, millions of young Kenyans enter the job market with limited opportunities awaiting them. Rather than celebrating a surge of innovators and entrepreneurs, the country finds itself bracing for an ever-growing population of job seekers.
This reality calls for more than curriculum reform. It demands a complete shift in mindset. Kenya must transition from a job-seeking economy to a job-creating one.
Education should inspire learners to think independently, identify opportunities and build solutions, not just prepare them to fit into existing systems. Countries that have made strides in reducing unemployment, such as Germany and South Korea, have heavily invested in vocational training, technical skills and entrepreneurship, equipping their youth to create value rather than wait for it.
If the dreams of students remain confined to employment alone, the cycle will persist. The economy risks becoming overly dependent on consumption rather than production, with unemployment continuing to define the lives of many.
The conversation, therefore, must shift from degrees to skills, from employment to enterprise and from dependency to innovation. And if we fail to strike the right balance in implementing reforms like CBC, we risk falling back into old habits where the system once again produces certificates, but not capability.
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