PS Nabukwesi: Gov’t intends to upscale standards of university education for job market

The government has affirmed its commitment to upscale the standards of university education in the country in order to make it more responsive to the job market demands.

According to the State Department for University Education and Research Principal Secretary (PS) Simon Nabukwesi, for the same to be achieved, the government has laid adequate emphasis on science, training and intellectual property rights education. 

The PS called upon university and tertiary institution graduates to embrace and harness the power of creativity and innovation for them to remain relevant in the current highly competitive job market environment.

He spoke at St. Paul's University in Limuru during its 31st graduation ceremony where 1,812 graduands were conferred degrees, diplomas and certificates by the university chancellor Prof. Margaret Kobia.

"The transformation of university education lays emphasis on science and education besides intellectual property rights training and these are anchored on Article eleven (11) of chapter two (2) of the constitution of Kenya and the social pillar of vision 2030," he said.

The PS added that being a priority programme under the National Development Implementation Technical Committee the move seeks to foster reforms to strengthen governance and management practices and enhance access to equity.

"The government will also improve the quality and relevance of education and also ensure that universities have sustainable financing," he said.

He further said that there's a need to set up an independent and well-resourced research and innovation and technology centre to consolidate the gains made by the government in the education sector.

Prof. Kobia acknowledged the great milestones the university has achieved to ensure it remained competitive and focused on its core business of offering high-quality education amid the COVID -19 pandemic challenges.

"Our graduation theme today is pegged on upholding academic excellence with integrity and I'm impressed by the high academic standards the university has set beside the focus on integrity as an overriding value inculcated to learners," she said.

The facility's Vice Chancellor Prof. James Kombo noted that the recent multimillion Hult Prize Award placed it on the world academic map in matters of science and innovation.

"Our five innovators of the biodegradable sanitary towels made from banana fibres won Ksh120,000,000 million at the global Hult prize competition that took place in New York, USA. This is a pointer that innovation is the key to a brighter future and self-employment," he said.

He also noted that the institution has launched new programmes namely Nursing and Health Science adding that it has also transitioned from faculties to schools all aimed at catalyzing growth and transformation. 

The event guest speaker Prof. Alex Ezeh who is a professor of global health at Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA challenged university graduates in the country to dare the world by being innovative.

"You have no choice but to dare the world by harnessing powers of creativity and innovation for you to be relevant and absorbable in the current competitive environment," he said.