At least half of graduates produced by East African universities
lack employability skills, technical mastery and basic work-related
capabilities, a new survey shows.
According to the Inter-University Council for East
Africa (IUCEA), a body created to regulate higher education in the
region, the situation simply confirms the concerns among employers that
most graduates are not fully prepared for the job market. The situation,
the report which polled employers says, denies all the five countries
making up the region the skills needed to drive growth.
Africa (IUCEA), a body created to regulate higher education in the
region, the situation simply confirms the concerns among employers that
most graduates are not fully prepared for the job market. The situation,
the report which polled employers says, denies all the five countries
making up the region the skills needed to drive growth.
The study shows that Uganda has the worst record,
with at least 63 per cent of graduates found to lack job market skills
followed closely by Tanzania where 61 per cent of graduates are
ill-prepared.
with at least 63 per cent of graduates found to lack job market skills
followed closely by Tanzania where 61 per cent of graduates are
ill-prepared.
In Burundi and Rwanda, 55 per cent and 52 per cent
of graduates respectively are perceived to be incompetent while in
Kenya, 51 per cent of graduates are believed to be unfit for jobs.
of graduates respectively are perceived to be incompetent while in
Kenya, 51 per cent of graduates are believed to be unfit for jobs.
The implication is that despite the improvement in
university enrolment across the region and the fact that thousands of
young people are graduating each year; their qualifications are unable
to secure many of them jobs.
university enrolment across the region and the fact that thousands of
young people are graduating each year; their qualifications are unable
to secure many of them jobs.
The report blames the falling quality of education
on universities admitting more students than they can handle and
lacking adequate teachers. Education experts and university
administrators have argued that additional enrolment can only be handled
if the governments pump more funds into higher education, so
institutions can afford to expand infrastructure and hire extra tutors.
on universities admitting more students than they can handle and
lacking adequate teachers. Education experts and university
administrators have argued that additional enrolment can only be handled
if the governments pump more funds into higher education, so
institutions can afford to expand infrastructure and hire extra tutors.
And employers are increasingly shunning new
graduates in favour of the highly skilled personnel, complicating the
problem of youth unemployment in the region.
graduates in favour of the highly skilled personnel, complicating the
problem of youth unemployment in the region.
“Employers said most graduates lacked
self-confidence, could not express themselves properly and lacked the
technical mastery required in the jobs they are seeking,” reads part of
the report.
self-confidence, could not express themselves properly and lacked the
technical mastery required in the jobs they are seeking,” reads part of
the report.
The region had been hoping to use its growing
number of graduates to drive economic growth following the decision to
enter the integration bloc, the East African Community, with a
population base of over 140 million.
number of graduates to drive economic growth following the decision to
enter the integration bloc, the East African Community, with a
population base of over 140 million.
The bloc agreed to open up its borders to a free
flow of human capital, with job-seekers easily looking for jobs in any
of the five countries.
flow of human capital, with job-seekers easily looking for jobs in any
of the five countries.
But educationists and labour economists said the
damning state of the skills base means an imbalance is looming, where
perceptions of the quality of graduates in each of the countries will
determine the flow of labour.
damning state of the skills base means an imbalance is looming, where
perceptions of the quality of graduates in each of the countries will
determine the flow of labour.
Mr Emanuel Frank, a Human Resources expert based
in Dar es Salaam, told The Citizen that the performance of most
graduates was a testimony that something was wrong in the region’s
institutions of higher learning.
in Dar es Salaam, told The Citizen that the performance of most
graduates was a testimony that something was wrong in the region’s
institutions of higher learning.
