The Daily Nation story: ‘Kenya’s silent crisis: Paradox of PhD holders with no jobs,’ revived the unemployment debate, adding to the bitter herb highly educated scholars’ underemployment. Even in a country grappling with thousands of unemployed graduates, the concern of doctoral scholars struggling to survive through vibarua sounded degrading.
The story, published on Monday, December 1, stirred more concern, following the Commission for University Education (CUE) explaining that, despite PhD graduates unemployment, the country was still in shortage of enough PhD holders. Only between 300 and 400 graduated, out of an annual demand of 1,000, which is between 30 and 40 per cent of what is required.
The media should search for thorough answers why the gap between demand and supply exists, and also narrow down into reasons for unemployment. The gap between higher education and job market crisis cannot be addressed in isolation without looking into the causes and remedies.
The answers would demand that journalists explore beyond the corridors of academia and the political class, and approach the job market, which is the real consumer of the knowledge and skills produced at the universities.
The government created CUE in 2012, replacing the Commission for Higher Education (CHE), to take the lead in better provision for the advancement of quality university education in Kenya, including regulating and accrediting universities and academic programmes. What solutions does it offer in the face of the existing challenges?
Scholars often point at funding and lack of research support as some of the challenges they face. How can this gap be closed? If the government cannot on its own meet the research funding demand, how can the private sector be looped in?
‘Overqualified’ is often driven as the narrative for PhD unemployability. Is the Kenyan economy able to sustain their increasing numbers? Could there be a mismatch between current PhD graduates and the level of job market to accommodate them? With the job market preferring precise skilled labour that directly fits specific tasks, and within certain business expenditure limits, what would be the space for doctoral job seekers?
Employers would be suited to respond to some of these concerns. Views on the way forward can form the basis for policy review on educators’ role in producing knowledge and skills based on informed market demand. Further, media follow ups can effectively guide the nation on carrying out its development plan.
