Relationship Between University Degree Programmes And Self-Employment And Self-Reliance: A Survey Of Kenyan Universities

The rising cases of unemployment in many countries are a worrying trend. In Kenya despite the rising levels of education, many graduates remain unemployed. The purpose of this study was to establish the relationship between university degree programmes and self-employment. The selection of private and public universities to participate was done by purposive sampling. Stratified sampling was used to select degree programmes under investigation. Simple random sampling was used to pick the participants. Data was collected through administration of self administered questionnaires. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages) and presented in tables. This study found that most universities have degree programmes aimed at ensuring self reliance and self employment among its graduates. However, there are dismally low efforts by most universities in holding workshops on self employment and self reliance every semester, establishment and support of many mentorship programmes for students by successful entrepreneurs and mainstreaming of self employment and self reliance in the curriculum. This study recommends that the university programmes offered in the country should be monitored to ensure that they instill skills for self employment, self reliance and self direction on the part of the learners. This would compel the learning institutions to offer programmes that are more relevant and reduce the menace of unemployment.

REFERENCES

[1] Youth Banner (2012). The 98% Entrepreneurship Reality. Retrieved from http://kenya.startupcup.com/2012/01/

[2] Branson, R. (2011) Time For Executives and C.E.O.S to coach young entrepreneurs, Daily Nation, 12 September, 2011

[3] Commission for Higher Education Nairobi. (2012). Accreditation and Quality Assurance Report July 2006 to June 2012. Government Printer: Nairobi.

[4] Nafukho, F., & M. Muyia (2009). Entrepreneurship and Socioeconomic Development in Africa: A Reality or Myth? Journal of European Industrial Training, 34(2) 96-109.

[5] Ndirangu, P.N. (2007). The Influence of Guidance and Counselling Programme on Academic Performance of Selected Public Secondary School Students: A Case of Bahati Division, Nakuru District. Unpublished Masters Thesis. Egerton University, Kenya.

[6] Heilbroner, L. (1980). The Making of an Economic History. U.S.: Prentice-Hall.

[7] Ochieng & Maxon (1992). An Economic History of Kenya. Nairobi: East African Educational Publishers Ltd. Mpaka Road

[8] Ogola, F.(2010) Contextualization of Individual Fulfillment: A Perspective of Undergraduates in Kenya. Journal of Education and Human Resources: , 39(3) 125-135.