University education in Kenya is maligned because we have built an education system that is big on theory and neglects practice. We rarely get practical solutions to some of the menacing problems we face today from universities. We spend many resources in universities, yet the outcome is wanting.
The essence of university education is to learn how to think. It is not to learn how to think in a rigid, noncompromising way. Yet, many graduates tend to be lazy in their thinking, do not want to move away from their prejudices and possess misplaced expectations about life. It is the same attitude that makes graduates frown upon some jobs because in their thinking, education must lead one to a corporate job. That is why many graduates waste so much time in the city when they would have become millionaires as farmers.
Granted, the government has to do its job in creating the right environment for private enterprise that can lead to the creation of jobs, but many graduates do not even make do with what is available.
That is why D and C students in the current setup tend to do better. It is one thing to expect the best out of life and it is another to look at the reality and adjust accordingly.
Education should empower you to think differently and come up with solutions to common problems so that if you end up being a fruit vendor, you can promise better sales because you can present your product better. Remember, you are not special because you have a degree. It is what you do with it that will make you special.
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