Insufficient and inadequate career guidance is identified as a significant factor contributing to the low transition rates of secondary school students into higher education institutions in the country.
In a press release dated December 8, 2023 Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu stated that this deficiency is also attributed to the prevailing skills gap in the labor market, where a mismatch exists between the skills sought by employers and those possessed by school leavers.
He underscored the issue, emphasizing that many young people in Kenya are entering the workforce without the requisite skills due to a lack of proper and professional career guidance throughout their academic journey, from primary school to university.
Citing data from the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), Machogu highlighted that the transition rate of secondary school graduates to vocational training, technical institutions, or universities stood at a mere 32 percent during the 2023/2024 placement cycle.
Alarming statistics from the Economic Survey indicate a broader challenge, with only a 30 percent transition rate from secondary to post-secondary education over recent years, leaving a substantial 70 percent unaccounted for.
Machogu pointed to the findings of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms, which identified weak structures for career guidance in schools and recommended a review of the frameworks for its implementation.
The Director of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Dr. Meshack Opwora, delivered these remarks on behalf of Machogu during the 2nd National Career Guidance Development Conference at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).
The minister notes that the persistently low transition rates exacerbate youth unemployment in Kenya, reaching a staggering 67 percent, compared to the national unemployment rate of 12.7 percent.
He stressed that professional career guidance is essential at all stages of the academic journey, from Junior school through Senior school, Colleges, TVETs, Universities, and into the workforce.
Addressing the conference’s theme, “Leveraging on Career Guidance and Development to Enhance Lifelong Transitions and Youth Employability amid Education reforms in Kenya,” Machogu highlighted the pivotal role of career guidance in facilitating smooth transitions and enhancing youth employability.
Research conducted by the Career Development Association of Kenya (CDAK) reveals concerning figures, with 66 percent of respondents believing they are in the wrong career, only seven percent feeling they are in the right career and 27 percent unsure about their career alignment.
These findings underscore the pressing need for comprehensive and effective career guidance to align educational pursuits with the dynamic demands of the job market.
By our reporter
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