The End of ‘Half Baked’ Graduates? No More Assistant Lecturers Jobs

By Jane Okoth,

The higher learning institutions in the country have come under attack for what critics termed as inability to produce skilled graduates who are ready to tackle the job market.

Recently, Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi proposed that only lecturers with Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) qualifications will be allowed to teach at universities.

In an article, Kaimenyi said his ministry is set to scrap posts of Assistant Lecturers in institutions of higher learning in order to raise education standards.

“I see myself as having a great responsibility of raising the bar of education in this country. Our education must be of high quality and very relevant,” he said.

The assistant lecturer’s posts which qualifications are masters’ degree accompanied by ongoing enrolment in a PHD program will soon be scrapped.

“The proposal is a good one but it can only be applicable years later,” says Antony Mugambi, an Accountant at a logistics firm.

“Look at the growing number of universities and tell me if there are enough leave alone PHD holders to lecture,” he argues.

“The suggestion is a good one but how will it raise the educational standards of the country?” asks Winfred Anyango who is a recent graduate in a public university.

“Having the papers is important but passing on the knowledge to students is also more important,” she adds.

“In my opinion those who are highly educated lecturers are too proud and just lecturer for the sake of it assuming that you know everything!” she opines.

“I find the proposal by the commission of higher education to be very ill informed,” agrees Nathan Owino, who is a Business Management Graduate at a private university.

‘Some of us were taught by lecturers who did not have those qualifications and we have performed very well in the job market,” he states.

He further adds that, “We all know how education in the country is being commercialized and this move will create room for cons and frauds in the industry.”

“As much as the cabinet secretary is calling for higher educational standards, he needs to realize that not all of the so called educated ones can deliver,” he argues.

But Dennis Mutinda is of the opinion that this is an eye opener for various universities in the country as too many of them need to improve on their quality.

“The same proposal should also be introduced to colleges and technical institutions because they have a lot to improve,” he suggests.

“What is the point of wasting years in school and being irrelevant in the job market?” he poses.

What’s your take….will the move bring to an end the era of “half baked” graduates ?

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