ARE OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMMES SUSTAINABLE?

Kenya heavily depends on its skilled human resource across all sectors of the economy to fast track the achievement of Vision 2030.  Time and time again we have cried foul over the shortage of skilled manpower, especially in the science based fields but have we critically looked at how we carry out capacity building in the country? Are our education programmes sustainable?

We talk of capacity building but I think it is important to lay down modalities that will ensure that we achieve sustainability, as we take into consideration current realities, needs and challenges, emerging issues and address the challenges we encounter on the way.

Of utter importance is to panel beat on what capacities are critical for our development and what thematic programmes and projects will help us attain the desired development results.  Capacity building initiatives must focus on imparting critical skills and capacity for relevance in a globalizing world, we therefore must be able to predict, adapt and respond to the volatile and ever-changing environment within which we live.

Sustainability will also require system-wide thinking where the main actors including the government, education institutions, industry and even the private sector come together and develop necessary strategies which have a long term perspective on capacity building for effectiveness, efficiency and sustain- able solutions.

Capacity building initiatives must be linked to national development priorities. Assessment needs must be done with a focus towards national and international aspirations. For example, Kenya is currently doing about only 6.2 PhD/ Million population, planning to do 24 PhD/Million in short term and about 100 PhD/Million by 2030. We must determine the areas that we need to focus on so that we fill in the gaps and get value for money.

It is important to mobilize, nurture and retain our human, institutional and financial resources for development and transformation locally, continentally and globally. The Government must increase its commitments in capacity building by assuring the necessary funding and strengthen requisite educational and research infrastructure, as well as extending a welcoming hand for the private sector players to come on board.  Developing countries must understand their domestic landscape and capacities and insist on home- grown solutions thus fostering self- reliance, wider ownership and accountability.

To assure quality programmes, we must  also focus on building capacity for capacity developers by equip- ping them with current pedagogical approaches, re-orient, retrain, and re-position them as they  develop others through continuous learning programmes and  staff exchanges. Knowledge sharing between institutions, regions and countries will enable experience sharing, lesson learning, and peer support on commendable practices.