Kenya has always been blessed with a youthful population since Independence, up to date, with the 2019 Kenya Housing Population Census, indicating that the median age in Kenya is 19.6 years. In light of this observation, the idea of a Youth’s Transformative Agenda was born, and has undergone significant transformations over the years. The Youth Transformative Agenda in Kenya refers to a detailed set of actions, principles, enterprises, protocols and strategies aimed at positively changing the lives of young people in the country. This agenda recognizes the critical role that youth play in shaping the nation’s future and seeks to empower them for productive engagement at local, county, national and international levels. Additionally, it involves deliberate efforts to enhance their capabilities, expand their choices and promote their active participation in all dimensions of society. By focusing on youth development and empowerment, the agenda aims to create a more inclusive and prosperous Kenya for generations to come.
Key Milestones Kenya has made towards fulfillment of the transformative Agenda for the youth.
The following are some of the strides that Kenya has made in regards to fulfilling the transformative agenda for the young people:
1980s: Growing recognition of youth unemployment led to the establishment of the National Youth Service (NYS), offering skills training and community service opportunities.
2000s: The National Youth Policy 2007 marked a crucial shift, recognizing youth as active agents of change and outlining strategies for their empowerment. Initiatives like the Marshall Plan for Youth Employment and Development and the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) aimed to boost economic participation.
2010s: The Kenya Youth Development Policy 2019 further emphasized inclusion, focusing on areas such as health, education, entrepreneurship, and political participation.
Education and Vocational Training: Kenya has made impressive progress in facilitating increased enrollment into education and vocational institutions for the youth. Initiatives such as free primary education and the establishment of technical and vocational training institutions have equipped young people with essential skills and capacities.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Several policies have been drafted to promote entrepreneurship and innovation among young Kenyans. These initiatives create a culture of independence and economic strength, contributing to youth development.
Empowerment Programs: Programs like the Youth Enterprise Development Fund and the Uwezo Fund facilitate access to financing and capacity-building opportunities for young entrepreneurs. Additionally, the National Youth Service and Ajira Digital Program target young people with digital skills for the contemporary economy.
Key Limitations of the Transformative Agenda for the Youth
In spite of attaining these achievements, the Transformative agenda continues to face challenges like:
Disparity between Education offered, and its relevance in the marketplace. Over the years, Kenya’s system of education has been 8-4-4, which was meant to address the needs of the growing population in Kenya, but failed to evolve with the changing needs of the job market. The competency based curriculum system of education which has been recently introduced is undergoing teething problems as of now.
Introduction of high taxes that are supposed to be remitted by businesses has made it increasingly challenging for young people to build businesses. Starting a business is a challenge by itself, but with high taxes included; this poses a bigger challenge to the youth who mostly have limited means.
HIV/AIDS: According to National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) More than half (51%) of all new HIV infections in Kenya in 2015 occurred among adolescents and young people (aged 15-24 years). A number of factors contribute to the increasing rate of HIV infection among young people including incorrect perception of HIV risk; and having unprotected sexual intercourse under influence of alcohol or drugs.
Drug Abuse: According to recent studies, in Kenya, drugs and substance abuse among young people in learning institutions is a growing social and public health problem. Most of these studies have, however, focused on young persons who are in high school or in higher levels of education (or older than 14 years). This implies that drug and substance abuse starts at an early age which can easily lead to addiction.
Public Policy recommendations in pursuit of the Youth’s future aspirations
Colleges and Universities with the help of the State Department for Higher Education should continuously collaborate with industry professionals in every field when it comes to creating curriculums to ensure that what learners are learning is in line with the changing job market.
Education experts should help tailor the education system to be skills-based. This encourages the youth to be self-reliant and productive.
The ministry of education should liaise with educational experts and child psychologists and provide funding to come up with ways to inculcate life-long learning in children and identify their individual interests and gifts in various fields, then the children encouraged to pursue those interests from childhood through to adulthood. This gives the youth a sense of purpose, hence making them lose interest in destructive activities
The government through the ministry of youth affairs and sports should come up with reward systems that promote talented students in various fields by availing scholarships, jobs and funding for their businesses. This will be a motivation to young people to excel in what they do hence reduce cases mental illness, drug abuse and spread of HIV/AIDS as many young people will be focusing on their crafts.
Create access to funding opportunities for youth-owned businesses and give five to seven year tax breaks for youth owned businesses to allow them to break even.
Avail counseling and psychiatric services to young people to assist in mitigating mental health issues.
Introduce mentorship programs, civic education and platforms for dialogue to strengthen youth leadership.
By implementing these recommendations, young people in Kenya will in a position to contribute substantially to the country’s growth.
Author: Emily Naitore Mwiraria, Student, Meru University of Science and Technology.
