Unemployment of youth in Kenya: Implications for primary school curriculum

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the problems of unemployment of primary school leavers in Kenya and their implications for the primary school curriculum. In the light of findings, suggestions would be made for possible curriculum changes. The investigation included an analysis of studies done on the unemployed primary school leavers and of the Kenya Primary School Syllabus. A tool consisting of four career elements ,(Motivation, Orientation, Exploration and Preparation) was used for detecting prevocational aspects in the studies and the syllabus. It was found that due to constraints caused by the strong desire for secondary education, the narrow and mainly academic and verbal Ceritificate of Primary Education examination, and the high rates of repetition in the upper primary school classes, little of the prevocational elements written in the syllabus reaches the learners. The little pre-vocational skills and knowledge acquired by primary school leavers is adequate for the present simple type of employment available for them especially in the rural areas. For adequate preparation and competence for self-employment in the informal sector of the economy, however, there was found to be a need for more Career Motivation, Career Orientation and Career Exploration, and an assurance that all the pre vocational skills and knowledge included in the present syllabus, whether in academic or practical subjects, reach the learners. It has been proposed, therefore, that as well as broadening the base of the Certificate of Primary Education examination so that all the subjects are examined, the primary school level of education be lengthened to eight years and the teaching of practical subjects receive more emphasis in the last three years of Upper Primary. For a thorough treatment of the practical subjects it has been proposed that Upper Primary education be concentrated in a few large, multi-stream, well equipped, well staffed and equitably distributfd schools. For the practical learning of entrepreneurial skills and aptitudes, it has been proposed that each pupil should be engaged in a project at home at the Upper Primary school level. The problems of unemployment of primary school leavers cannot be solved by the proposed changes in the curriculum and the education system alone.There is an immediate need for a corresponding' improvement in the rural economy to a level where it can generate challenging and economical vocational opportunities for the youth.