University of Nairobi (UoN) Chancellor Professor Patrick Verkooijen has addressed joblessness in Kenya.
Speaking during the State Banquet in Honour of His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Kingdom of Netherlands at State House, the Chancellor highlighted the harsh job market realities for graduates, revealing that only one in four of the graduates Kenya produces annually secures a formal job.
Further, he noted that some of these graduates took to the streets in June 2024 due to the frustrations of remaining jobless.
According to Prof Verkooijen, unemployment is a problem that must be addressed fast and soon.
“As the UoN Chancellor, I have learnt a thing or two about collaboration. Of the 1 million graduates of this nation every year, only 1 in 4 lands a formal job. But what about the others, where will they go?
“Some took to the streets as we saw last year, others make it as far as Europe. But if that trickle becomes a tsunami, no wall will be high enough to contain it,” he said.
Also Read: Why Ruto Handpicked Me to Lead Broke UoN – Patrick Verkooijen
UoN Chancellor on Students Writing Essays for Americans
At the same time, the chancellor noted that Kenyan students are forced to engage in academic ‘ghostwriting’ for Ivy League students in the United States to earn a living.
He said that the potential of the Kenyan youth should be harnessed, lauding President William Ruto for championing skill development in universities.
Moreover, the Chancellor noted that the move showed that Kenya was a globalized and localized digital economy.
“The irony is many of the students here in Kenya and University of Nairobi are already working. Highly skilled side jobs, and you know in what? Writing papers, and not for themselves or their classmates, for Ivy League students in the United States to make a buck or two.
“And as you said Mr. President, we need to harness the demographic dividend and not fight it. Here in Kenya and Africa we need three things; job, jobs, jobs. And that is why you launched the Big 5 agenda for all universities in Kenya,” he added.
The objective of the Big 5 agenda for universities include introducing specialized short courses, certificates, and master’s programs targeting critical areas such as entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence (AI), sustainability, leadership, and health research.
Chancellor Verkooijen argued that it reflects the potential of Kenya’s youth to thrive in digital workspaces if given the right support.
“Think about it, that is digital economy globalized and localized. The is incredible untapped potential in this nation,” he explained while addressing investors.
Also Read: UoN Beats KU in Latest University Ranking in Kenya
Latest University Ranking
The University of Nairobi (UoN) was ranked first by the 2025 survey by EduRank university rankings, securing its place among the top 1,000 universities in global rating.
The position in ranking was attributed to advancements in its research output with over 20,000 publications, offering the best courses that recorded the highest admission.
Also, EduRank considered the impact of more than 100 notable UoN alumni such as President William Ruto, Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, and Kenyan Lawyer James Orengo, among others.
The top five (5) universities in Kenya according to the ranking include UoN, Kenyatta University (KU), Jomo Kenyatta University of Technology (JKUAT), Strathmore, and Mount Kenya University (MKU).
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