Why Social Sciences are preferred by Students in Kenyan Universities
Recently, I came across
a very interesting read in one of the dailies about how preference for
humanities among out university student population is stifling efforts
for talented work force. For me that was a very genuine concern, only in
one sense; that we need to invest a lot more in science and technology
than we are doing now. Overall, we need to invest more in education in a
more objective and focused way than we are doing now. It is astonishing
policy mandarins keep talking expanding the economy to ensure economic
growth and job creation. And they keep talking without looking for ways
of investing not only creatively but also looking at some of the
“forgotten” frontiers. Granted, investments in science and technology
could could be the building blocks for long-term economic growth of the
country. And none other than former US President Obama acknowledged this
in one of the debates.
I am no economist, however, the little time I have spent around books learning and later teaching anthropology has taught me a few things about development policy, especially when it comes to creation of jobs. No one seems to have the magic bullet about this on this continent. The reason is that we have forgotten or seem to have ignored the very platform that has propelled the very economies that we aspire to emulate. My thesis is that humanities and social sciences seem to have forged ahead of the ‘hard’ or natural sciences. And this is related to the fact that we have turned the education system into a sort of disciplinary completion between courses which are likely to procure a job for one rather than creation and supply of knowledge. And it seems the social sciences give students more versatility to operate in the job market. Ever wondered MBA classes are oversubscribed?
Since our education system is designed to churn out workers (or are they professionals?) rather than thinkers, the natural sciences will continue to lag behind (in spite of their academic prestige) compared to the social sciences. Apart from professional science-based courses such as computer technology, engineering and medicine, among a few, very little regard is given to the sciences by prospective students. Yet, when we were in high school, doing these subjects was the marker of intelligence. What changed? As pointed out earlier, the prospects of employment after graduation is the answer. The most prevalent question asked by students when registering for a course is “where can I work after graduation?” The natural sciences seem short on this. Yet the choices based on employment prospects seem to cloud the bigger picture. The question, then is, is there is nothing one can do with physics, chemistry, biology, bio-chemistry, geology etc. apart from just learning and later teaching in school or university? May be only in Kenya. Doesn’t Kenya need this knowledge outside of school?
The social sciences seem to have developed research portfolios outside the academy. The natural sciences need to follow suit. To do so, there is need to first entrench these sciences in the academy. Where are the vast sums of money to undertake research in these areas? We will also need state of the art labs in schools and universities. These labs should actually be replicated in the museums, hospital, the military, police, faith-based organisations, Non-governmentals, think tanks and other areas outside the academy for students to follow them after graduation. Once this is done, we will realise the vast and numerous untapped areas of research in physics, biology, chemistry, botany, zoology, climatology, geology and the like that abound around us. Our seas, forests, deserts and rivers and full of physics, geography, biology, chemistry etc. that is waiting for discovery. Much of this knowledge is siphoned off by foreigners in the name of collaboration. Then you come across it on National Geographic or Discovery Channel. If we just start by investing in research, in these disciplines, the jobs that will come out of that adventure will be too many for our graduates. Once young professionals are equipped with skills and knowledge from the research, many other areas of interest will emerge. Let us create interest all disciplines areas by investing creatively and students will come calling. An economy founded on knowledge will never go wrong. And remember to pay professors properly.
I am no economist, however, the little time I have spent around books learning and later teaching anthropology has taught me a few things about development policy, especially when it comes to creation of jobs. No one seems to have the magic bullet about this on this continent. The reason is that we have forgotten or seem to have ignored the very platform that has propelled the very economies that we aspire to emulate. My thesis is that humanities and social sciences seem to have forged ahead of the ‘hard’ or natural sciences. And this is related to the fact that we have turned the education system into a sort of disciplinary completion between courses which are likely to procure a job for one rather than creation and supply of knowledge. And it seems the social sciences give students more versatility to operate in the job market. Ever wondered MBA classes are oversubscribed?
Since our education system is designed to churn out workers (or are they professionals?) rather than thinkers, the natural sciences will continue to lag behind (in spite of their academic prestige) compared to the social sciences. Apart from professional science-based courses such as computer technology, engineering and medicine, among a few, very little regard is given to the sciences by prospective students. Yet, when we were in high school, doing these subjects was the marker of intelligence. What changed? As pointed out earlier, the prospects of employment after graduation is the answer. The most prevalent question asked by students when registering for a course is “where can I work after graduation?” The natural sciences seem short on this. Yet the choices based on employment prospects seem to cloud the bigger picture. The question, then is, is there is nothing one can do with physics, chemistry, biology, bio-chemistry, geology etc. apart from just learning and later teaching in school or university? May be only in Kenya. Doesn’t Kenya need this knowledge outside of school?
The social sciences seem to have developed research portfolios outside the academy. The natural sciences need to follow suit. To do so, there is need to first entrench these sciences in the academy. Where are the vast sums of money to undertake research in these areas? We will also need state of the art labs in schools and universities. These labs should actually be replicated in the museums, hospital, the military, police, faith-based organisations, Non-governmentals, think tanks and other areas outside the academy for students to follow them after graduation. Once this is done, we will realise the vast and numerous untapped areas of research in physics, biology, chemistry, botany, zoology, climatology, geology and the like that abound around us. Our seas, forests, deserts and rivers and full of physics, geography, biology, chemistry etc. that is waiting for discovery. Much of this knowledge is siphoned off by foreigners in the name of collaboration. Then you come across it on National Geographic or Discovery Channel. If we just start by investing in research, in these disciplines, the jobs that will come out of that adventure will be too many for our graduates. Once young professionals are equipped with skills and knowledge from the research, many other areas of interest will emerge. Let us create interest all disciplines areas by investing creatively and students will come calling. An economy founded on knowledge will never go wrong. And remember to pay professors properly.
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