PRESENTATION

B Y

DR. SIMON N. GICHARU,CBS

FOUNDER/CHAIRMAN,

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ,

MOUNT KENYA UNIVERSITY,

KENYA

AT

P R I D E I N N PA R A D I S E B E A C H R E S O R T ,

M O M B A S A , 7T H

J U N E 2 0 1 5

( C A P A J U N E 2 0 1 6 I N T E R N A T I O N A L C O N F E R E N C E ) 1

PRESENTATION

ON

E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P A N D I N N O V A T I O N F O R W E A L T H

C R E A T I O N 2

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

DEVELOPMENT AND

INNOVATIVE POLICIES FOR

JOB AND WEALTH

CREATION IN AFRICA

MY OWN ENTREPRENEURIAL STORY NOTE: MY OWN BACKGROUND WAS A LESSON WHEN GROWING UP

1) A humble village boy’s upbringing 2) A strong personal desire to make a difference to myself and to others

3) All these led to the establishment of Thika Institute

of Technology (TIT) which was the precursor to MKU

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MY OWN ENTREPRENEURIAL STORY (LESSONS LEARNT WHEN GROWING UP)

TWO LESSONS FROM MY FATHER: a) My father’s optimum financial

controls by putting a ceiling to our family expenses

b) Entrepreneurial induction by my father at his business

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Potential and reality of youth business initiation

‘x’ number of

youth

Unemployment

In reality, less than 5% of them become entrepreneurs.

20% of them have potential to become entrepreneurs

(Source: 2003 European Organization)

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A SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS IN AFRICA

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There are thousands of unemployed graduates

WHY IS DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA NOT COMPARABLE

WITH ASIAN TIGERS?

1) Why are we importing commodities from Asia?

2) This is due to lack of a practical orientation in our teaching

3) Lack of mentorship in our education programmes

4) Too much theory and “copy cat” approach

in education system in Africa 7

WHAT SHOULD BE THE SOLUTION?

1) Institutionalization of practical oriented teaching and learning in schools and universities

2) Theoretical replication of ideas and concepts in examinations should be discouraged under all costs

3) Mentoring and serious attachments/ internships must be the order of the day

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TECHNICAL TRAINING AS A SOLUTION

1) As training institutions, we should ensure up to 85% of teaching and learning is practical oriented.

2) Theoretical training leads to production of “copy

cat” engineers, teachers, entrepreneurs, doctors, etc

3) Practical oriented entrepreneurial programs must be part and parcel of our educational programs

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TECHNICAL TRAINING AS A SOLUTION

4) Students must be made to live and stay at the industries… learning practical oriented lessons as

apprentices

5) Why can’t we have policies that allow students to get

evaluated on their contributions to the industry?

6) Such a policy will add value to both the teaching and to partnering organizations (win-win).

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ALL IS NOT LOST!

1) Several countries and Universities have now commenced some benchmarking programmes which gives us hope…

For instance;

At the Petroleum University of China, graduates engage in many practical lessons yet they are training to be managers! They are hands on!

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GRADUATE ENTERPRISE ACADEMY (GEA) AS A BEACON OF HOPE IN AFRICA

1) In 2012, MKU started the GEA, as a practical oriented approach of inducting graduates to be job creators and NOT job seekers/

2) Ksh 40,000,000 (US dollars 400,000) was allocated for use at GEA FOR 5 YEARS

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GRADUATE ENTERPRISE ACADEMY (GEA) AS A BEACON OF HOPE IN AFRICA

3) A total of 25 graduates are now good

beneficiaries with businesses all over the country.

4) For more info on GEA, see; http://www.mku.ac.ke/enterprise-academy/index.php/component/content/article/2-uncategorised/8-from-big-brother-to-enterprise-academy

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GRADUATE ENTERPRISE ACADEMY (GEA) AS A BEACON OF HOPE IN AFRICA

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GRADUATE ENTERPRISE ACADEMY (GEA) AS A BEACON OF HOPE IN AFRICA

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MORE AND MORE MODEL CASES ARE NEEDED

1) Employment opportunities have really dwindled in Africa.

2) This call for more innovative approaches towards jobs creation,

3) A goal in job creation will only have achieved once 90% of graduates becomes job creators and not job seekers

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MORE AND MORE MODEL

CASES ARE NEEDED

4) Partnerships are needed to drive this process;

Eg at MKU, a collaboration among different players are working on modalities of strengthening GEA

These include, i) Makerere University Business School, ii) a Professor Emeritus from University of Edinburg, iii) Leuphana University of Germany, iv) Leipzig University (Germany), v) International University of Management (Namibia), vi) Bonn – Rhein - Sieg University and many others ready to join.

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MKU GEA VIRTUAL INCUBATION AS A MODEL

1) We use a model of 3 week-end boot camps and virtual incubation in between the weekends.

1) The governments must come up with supportive tax

rebates to the institutions and organizations involved in job creation

1) New start ups must also get a generous share of tax

exemptions to spur their growth

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MKU GEA VIRTUAL INCUBATION AS A MODEL

4) At GEA, we are inviting more and more partners to benchmark and share best practice.

5) Incubation models must be made compulsory at TIVET colleges as an innovative approach towards more and more jobs creation.

6) Industrial engagements must be made compulsory for all.

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MKU GEA VIRTUAL INCUBATION AS A MODEL

1) Reminder: There is a need to give incentives to incubators of entrepreneurs by the government

2) Partnerships, partnership, partnerships!!!!! … must

be embraced by all as a way forward in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (Post 2015 development goals)

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MKU GEA VIRTUAL INCUBATION AS A MODEL

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MKU GEA VIRTUAL INCUBATION AS A MODEL

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THANK YOU

For Your Attention

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