Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has urged university graduates to embrace entrepreneurship, emphasizing that the government cannot guarantee a sufficient number of jobs for everyone.
During the joint graduation ceremony of 4,299 students from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and the Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences Technology and Innovation (PAUSTI) in Kiambu County on Friday, Gachagua encouraged the graduates to tap into their creativity while the government continues to implement job creation programs.
Gachagua stated, “I have told you that I’m an honest man. I don’t want to sit here and lie to you that we have jobs for you. We are going to create them with you. There are opportunities…some of you will take the lead while others will join us in doing business.”
The Deputy President also challenged tertiary institutions to assess the effectiveness of their programs, emphasizing the importance of offering market-oriented courses that align with Kenya’s economic needs.
He highlighted the shrinking availability of white-collar jobs and affirmed the government’s commitment to fostering digital employment opportunities.
“We are laying the infrastructure; learning institutions must provide the requisite skills for the youth to become truly global workers even from the comfort of their village. Technology is here to shrink the global office into our palms,” he stated.
“We can only harness this potential if we prepare students not just for passing examinations but for solving challenges and promoting inclusive growth, through enhancing their analytical thinking and creative skills.”
Gachagua encouraged the graduates to explore entrepreneurship, emphasizing the numerous opportunities available and the relevance of the skills they acquired in school to enhance their lives.
He urged them to remain focused, resilient, and impervious to discouragement from naysayers and skeptics. Gachagua emphasized the satisfaction of nurturing an idea and witnessing its growth to fruition.
He praised the housing program, highlighting its potential to create employment for professionals in the construction industry.
Gachagua assured the graduates that the government is committed to addressing the issue of unemployment and mentioned the Finance Bill of 2023, which allocates resources to the construction of 200,000 houses annually.
He mentioned the opportunities that will arise for architects, quantity surveyors, building engineers, electricians, and plumbers, with universities being the primary beneficiaries.
In terms of future employment prospects, the Deputy President outlined the government’s dedication to implementing the Competence-Based Curriculum to equip students with self-employability skills.
He stressed the need for tertiary institutions to adapt their educational models to support job creation and the demands of the new system.
Gachagua emphasized that the focus should shift from graduation numbers and degree prestige to the overall impact of students’ abilities and contributions.
He further highlighted the crucial role of higher education institutions in national development through research, technology advancement, and knowledge transfer.
The Deputy President was accompanied by Cabinet Secretaries Ezekiel Machogu (Education) and Moses Kuria (Trade, Investments, and Industry) during the ceremony.
