We need ‘Marshall Plan’ to tackle youth unemployment

The government that comes to power after the August 9 Genera-Election must make jobs and growth a top priority. In particular, focus on efforts to tackle youth unemployment, which continues to be a big burden to many young Kenyans. 

 With 500,000 to 800,000 young Kenyans entering the job market each year, we need an ambitious Marshall Plan that places youth employment at the centre of development, and offers the youth a future of wealth, success and self-reliance, rather than the dismal prospects of the past.  

Kenya has a large number of youthful people, with 80 per cent of the population being under 35 years, while those aged 18 and 35 years make up about 40 percent of the total population. Young people make up about 40 percent of the working-age population in Kenya, but over 70 percent of the unemployed.  

Steadily worsening over the years, youth unemployment in the country is now assuming crisis proportions, particularly in the wake of the current global pandemic. Kenya has to explore potential options and take action now to respond to both external and internal causes of the problem. 

Most importantly, economic opportunities driven by a high growth rate must outpace the increase in population currently estimated at around 2.6 percent. Development literature show that to bend the curve of poverty you need growth of above 7 percent sustained over several years. 

The country’s economy has not been able to provide the necessary amount of employment opportunities – formal and informal alike. Lamentably, economic progress has primarily benefitted a few people.  

Then there is a labor markets dimension. The rate at which young people find jobs depends on how prepared the labor market is to receive them, and how ready they are for the labour market.  

According to studies, almost 50 percent of current university graduates in Kenya do not get jobs. The root cause of the problem is a mismatch between the education they are getting and labour market needs. Our education systems have been geared toward getting a qualification rather than acquiring skills and competences that will enhance successful integration into the world of work.  

The snag, however, is that “technical vocational education and training [TVET] is stigmatized as a second-rate learning track, despite its capacity to promote the acquisition and development of entrepreneurial and innovative skills for self-employment.  

With adequate allocation of resources, modernizing teaching and learning facilities in TVET institutions, as well as training and continuous professional development of TVET teachers will be possible.  

Equally important, the private sector must complement governments’ efforts. The private sector needs to be strongly linked to the education and training systems to meet labour market needs. Also, companies should offer young people apprenticeships, internships, mentorships and even skills certification programmes.  

More so, more should be done to support entrepreneurship. Youth are living on the cusp of a revolution. Just like those who saw the dawn of the agricultural or industrial revolution, you who are living in this unique moment of history must be enabled to leverage ICT and shifting from job seekers to job creators; from writing good bios to writing great business plans. A fixed sum of money could be given to young entrepreneurs to create new businesses, which would be closely monitored. 

— The writer is a public policy analyst—[email protected]