By Robert Kibet
The ongoing lecturers’ strike in Kenya has disrupted learning in public universities for a second time this year, casting a shadow over the government’s ability to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all by 2030. The strike, driven by delayed salary reviews and unmet collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), has paralyzed operations in 31 public universities, leaving over 500,000 students stranded and exacerbating concerns over the future of higher education in Kenya.
Dr. Stephen Mutunga, a lecturer at Kenyatta University, highlighted the crux of the issue:
"We have been negotiating for the implementation of the 2021–2025 CBA, yet nothing has been done. Lecturers are expected to mentor students under unbearable financial strain."
Kenya boasts a highly educated youth population, but unemployment remains a critical issue. Recent government data indicates that nearly 40 percent of young university graduates are jobless. Despite promises of domestic economic reforms, the government has been encouraging young professionals to seek employment abroad through bilateral labor agreements with countries like Canada, Germany, and the Gulf states.
“This is disheartening,” said university student Caroline Omondi, a fourth-year economics major at the University of Nairobi. "We struggle to attain degrees, yet our professors are undervalued, and our prospects often lie outside Kenya. Are we simply exporting our brightest minds?"
The lecturers’ strike underscores deeper systemic challenges in Kenya’s education sector. Universities are grappling with budget cuts, outdated infrastructure, and declining quality of education. Critics argue that these problems contradict Kenya’s commitments under SDG 4.
"The current situation is unsustainable," warned Dr. Wandia Njoya, an education expert and university lecturer. "Education is supposed to empower, but what message are we sending to young people when their learning is constantly interrupted, and their professors are disregarded?"
As the strike continues, youth frustration grows. Many students have taken to social media to voice their discontent, pointing out the government's focus on external labor markets instead of addressing the root causes of unemployment domestically.
"We need jobs here, not abroad," said James Mwangi, a law student at Moi University. "Kenya is losing its intellectual capital because of broken systems and unfulfilled promises."
For Kenya to achieve SDG 4, experts suggest significant investments in the education sector and a holistic review of policies to address youth unemployment. Public universities need adequate funding to attract and retain academic talent, modernize facilities, and improve research output.
Dr. Njoya added: "Achieving SDG 4 requires more than rhetoric. It demands political will, prioritizing education financing, and empowering local economies to absorb educated youth into meaningful employment."
As negotiations between the government and lecturers’ unions continue, the fate of hundreds of thousands of students hangs in the balance. This crisis raises fundamental questions about Kenya’s commitment to education as a tool for national development and its alignment with global goals.
"Education is the backbone of a thriving nation," said Dr. Mutunga. "Kenya must decide whether it will prioritize its youth or continue to let systemic failures define its future."
For many, this strike is more than a disruption—it is a call for urgent reform to safeguard the aspirations of a generation poised to shape Kenya’s future.
