Examining the Relevance of Formal Tertiary Education on Employability in Kampala Capital City Authority (Kcca) Case Study: Makindye Division

Abstract

The relevance of formal tertiary education on employability in Kampala Capital City Authority: a case of Makindye Division, was studied. It addressed Formal Tertiary Education in particular, which plays an important role in both individuals‟ opportunities and success in the labour market as well as in the economic development and growth of the Country. Today, formal higher education terrain has undergone several modifications since its introduction by the Christian Missionaries, having shifted from being wholly controlled by the government or public to being shared with the private educationists. However, despite the intervention of the government, graduate unemployment has continued to rise. “The rate of unemployment under the newly revised definition is 9.4% and is particularly high among those with higher levels of education” (MOES, November 2014). “In December 2015, a total of 339 (19%) out of the 1,476 jobseekers who registered with Kampala Capital City Authority – Employment Services Bureau were from Makindye Division. The rate increased from 20% in 2016; 16% in 2017 and 21% in 2018” (KCCA ESB, 2018). The objectives of the study were; to establish the relevance of skills development at tertiary level of education on employability in Makindye Division, to find out how technical vocational education influences employability in Makindye Division and to ascertain the relevance of monitoring and evaluation of formal tertiary education on employability in Makindye Division. The hypothesis was Formal Tertiary Education has a positive relevance to employability in Makindye Division. A cross sectional research method was employed which included both qualitative and quantitative research. The analysis of Qualitative data was done simultaneously with data collection while the Quantitative data was collected and used to inform the analysis of quantitative data by providing the data that was verified and compared to give findings. This was achieved through interviews and questionnaires that were given out to respondents for the statistical representation and analysis. A population of 50 respondents was sampled, some of whom were selected purposively while others were selected using the simple random sampling technique. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS 22. Linear Regression was used to test the relationship between the statistical variables where according to the study findings, the results of the analysis generally indicated that the combined relevance of Skills Development and Training, Technical Vocational Training and monitoring and evaluation of tertiary education influenced employability (R2=11%; P<0.01). The findings predicated a weak positive relationship for the determinants of skills development, technical vocational and monitoring and evaluation to employability, which means the objectives of the study were achieved. The study concluded that lack of enough skills limits performance hence hindering human capital which affects employability and recommended that there was need to acquire more skills even after tertiary education hence improvement of employability of tertiary graduates in Makindye Division. The more there is vocational training at tertiary level, graduates acquire vocational skills hence increased investment in the future leading to improvement in employability in Makindye Division. The study then recommended that active education of the community on the benefits of skilled services should be intensified in order to create demand for the skilled services. Relevance of creating more job trainings to improve on the skills of its employees while Skills development should not be limited to only those with tertiary education but even other who don‟t have it. Makindye Division needs to embrace new skills and knowledge at regular periods for its employees in order to meet the challenges of a much more dynamic and unstable economic climate. Lobbying for policies that will help in the monitoring and evaluating of the education system should be considered for future development of its employment systems.

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