Kenya urged to align education with practical skills as youth unemployment persists

By Our Reporter Maurice Momanyi

Kenya has been urged to shift the focus of its education system from enrolment and graduation numbers to practical competence, adaptability and employability as the country marks World Youth Skills Day 2026.

In an article themed “Skills for a Shared Future,” Kaplich Barsito, Director of Public Communications at the State Department for Housing and Urban Development, said the country’s next education milestone should be measured by whether young people can apply their knowledge in the labour market.

“Kenya’s success in its education system must be measured not only by enrolment and graduation, but also by competence, adaptability and the dignity of work,” Barsito wrote.

The article notes that Kenya has made significant progress in expanding access to higher education. According to the University Statistics 2024/2025 report, enrolment in degree programmes reached 628,541 students in 2024, reflecting decades of investment in university expansion.

However, the increase in graduates has created a new challenge: a labour market that has not expanded at the same pace. Barsito argues that the country must now ensure that education pathways produce graduates and trainees with practical skills, industry exposure and the ability to adapt to changing economic demands.

Employers, he notes, increasingly seek workers with digital fluency, communication skills, teamwork, problem-solving ability, safety awareness and a commitment to lifelong learning.

The article also highlights the role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in developing occupational competence. Barsito says TVET programmes should be strengthened through access to modern technology, entrepreneurship training and clear pathways for career progression.

A key example cited is the Affordable Housing Programme (AHP), which has provided work-based training opportunities in masonry, carpentry, plumbing, electrical installation, steel fixing and site safety.

Through collaboration with the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), artisans whose skills were acquired informally have been assessed and certified through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). More than 1,200 artisans have been certified under the programme.

Barsito said the RPL approach allows workers to earn while improving and demonstrating their competence, reducing the need for them to leave employment or sacrifice household income in order to pursue formal training.

“This matters deeply to a young parent or family breadwinner,” he wrote. “A work-based approach allows the construction site to remain both the workplace and classroom.”

The article concludes that a shared future cannot be built through academic qualifications alone. It calls for stronger collaboration between universities, TVET institutions, employers and national development projects to ensure that skills training is aligned with modern industry needs.

“When a graduate can apply knowledge, when an artisan’s experience becomes a recognised qualification, and when a young person can learn without abandoning family responsibilities, education becomes more than a certificate,” Barsito said. “It becomes a tool for building homes, livelihoods and a future in which progress is genuinely shared.”