Revitalizing youth entrepreneurship in Kenya: A deliberate training curriculum

The youth in Kenya (15-35) are the cornerstone of society and must be nurtured to take up active leadership roles in the country. However, since independence, their role has been largely peripheral leading to their current marginalization manifested in form of unemployment, crime, drug abuse and passive involvement in constructive nation building. Part of the problem has been poverty which has denied them access to appropriate training and productive resources. As such, they only undergo rigid exam-based training with minimal practical application in the job market. The Government of Kenya has already recognized the long-term impact of the youth marginalization and initiated programmes to ensure they become active rather than passive partners in nation building such Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF). This fund has the potential to transform the largely unproductive youth into endearing citizens. However, YEDF is bedevilled with challenges including the curriculum used to induct the youth into the world of work in general and entrepreneurship in particular. The result has been massive loan default, with many youth enterprises becoming shadows of their true potential. In addressing the foregoing, this paper reviews the current curricula on youth entrepreneurship development training and proposes its essential revision as the way forward.