Graduation does not mean employment

When I was growing up in rural Kenya, we knew who was who in secondary school.

When one was in a good high school, he or she was a village celebrity. Indeed, whenever we saw those who were doing A' levels, we would revere their mastery of English and other matters including politics.

They were heroes and heroines of sorts. I was overwhelmingly mesmerised whenever I saw one of my aunts who was an A' level student in a particular good school.

Today, getting a good job today depends on a combination of many factors, including luck. Research findings estimate that about 1.2 million Kenyans join the labour market each year.

These are mainly graduates from the various levels of the school system, including university. If you add this to the already existing pool of unemployed citizens, it looks really ugly.

So when I see colourful graduation ceremonies, I can only wish that parents could be more realistic. They can only hope that things will change.

But how will they change if they are part of the tribal and corrupt system that ensures change for the better cannot just happen?

There is a lot we have to do to improve the country.