Public Policy in Kenya
The government of the day has promised to reduce unemployment in Kenya, especially youth unemployment through various efforts. As a public policy graduate, suggest five ways in which the government may reduce youth unemployment in Kenya.
Sessional Paper No. 2 of 1985 focusing on unemployment pointed out a number of what causes unemployment in Kenya. Examples of these causes are: failed technology, being selective on jobs, development programs which focuses on areas with little on no employment creation and lack of cooperation between education facilities and the market.
It is so unfortunate that nearly 34 years later, the findings of this Sessional Paper No. 2 still sounds so true. Educational institutions have shifted the gears and they are still producing graduates who are not fit for absorption into the labor markets out there.
In 2010, the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) identified additional factors of joblessness such as weak entrepreneurship culture among Kenyans as another cause of unemployment.
Unemployment and underemployment are two factors which have largely eroded the dignity of our youth. Think of what we witnessed in the news yesterday. A young man’s wife gave birth to a baby and since the man would not be able to take care of that baby, he decided to take poison and then jumped into a well in an attempt to commit suicide.
This is just one of the problematic public policy cases and there are many others out there.
– wage subsidies
– import substitution
– export promotion
– increasing incentives
References
Kenya., & International Monetary Fund,. (2010). Kenya: Poverty reduction strategy paper.
Njogu, K. (2013). Youth and peaceful elections in Kenya. Oxford: Twaweza Communications.
