Top 10 Least Marketable Courses In Kenya (2023)
Looking at the least marketable courses in Kenya, one is able to identify the trend of the Kenyan economy. This is because the least marketable courses are those that offer little or no prospects for the student. They have no prospects for the student because they have little or no impact on the economy.
The services sector plays an important role in the Kenyan economy; which is why students line up to study courses that can put them in positions to have great careers in this sector.
Interestingly, data from KUCCPS indicates that these least marketable courses have been largely abandoned by Kenyan students; in fact, some of these courses did not get any single enrollee in the last few years. That shows how unpopular they are!
Top 10 Least Marketable Courses In Kenya
1. Development Studies
Development Studies has been literally abandoned by the Kenyan student body; this is one of the most unmarketable courses of study in the country, as evident by the fact that it has no prospects for the majority of the people.
The course is not altogether useless though, it deals with the knowledge of what it takes to develop society as a whole. This would have been great for a person who intends to become a career politician, and who has all the financial and moral backing that is necessary for such a career.
However, for the average student who has to earn a living by working with his qualifications; Development Studies is one of the most useless courses in Kenya.
2. Applied Linguistics
Applied Linguistics is the study of languages. This is more than just about memorizing words in other languages; it is about understanding the root from which a group of languages originate; and understanding the words from which other words in other languages are derived. It is a very ponderous course with little or no economic prospects for the Kenyan youth.
Except a person his confident about getting a job as a professor, most students generally avoid this course because it does not guarantee job placements.
3. Gender Development
Gender Development is another society development course that is designed to study the challenges of society and find solutions to them so that the people can have a higher standard of living, and be more prosperous generally.
Furthermore, Gender development as a course will emphasize the needs of both genders, especially women who are usually the more vulnerable gender as far as Africa is concerned.
This is an unmarketable course because it does not offer great employment prospects for any Kenyan student who is guaranteed a government appointment at the conclusion of his studies, or who has the financial muscle to start an NGO.
4. Translation And Interpretation
Translation And Interpretation is offered as an alternative to linguistics in many Kenyan institutions. However, it is largely ignored because it is regarded as a waste of time and money. Translation and Interpretation are two interrelated courses that deal with the study of languages, but not necessarily to understand the root of the languages but to aid communication.
This is a very unmarketable course for anyone who is not guaranteed a position in an international organization where there is a need for translators. History has shown that students who study this course find it difficult to get employment, and that is why most people do not even bother to seek enrollment in this course.
5. Geographic Information Science
Every country should have in-depth knowledge of its land. The topographical make-up, as well as what lies below the surface of the ground.
This will enable the government to know how to do all the physical planning, as well as properly catalogue the natural resources that can be exploited to develop the country. Geographic Information Science sadly is not as important in Kenya as it should be because the government does not give it importance.
Having recognized that there are no prospects for jobs and that this course may not bring any opportunities for self-development, most young people in Kenya generally avoid this course.
6. Childcare And Protection
Childcare And Protection is all about learning and understanding children, with a few to keep them safe from exploitation, abuse, and all sorts of inhumane treatment. A person who studies childcare and protection should be able to look at a child and see the hidden signs of abuse. They are also trained about how to handle these vulnerable children.
Childcare And Protection is seen as a useless course in Kenya because it does not guarantee jobs. The course is also underutilized because there are no structures on the ground to even take records of the number of children in danger of being abused, and even those who work with NGOs may do so on a volunteer basis, without any real career prospects.
7. Theology, Youth Ministry, And Pastoral Studies
Theology, Youth Ministry, and Pastoral Studies are offered in various higher institutions in Kenya. However, this teaching is not to much effect because it does not help one gain a job.
It is very uncommon to find a person who has studied theology in school being employed as a pastor in a church. Most churches rather conduct their own in house theological schools, and then ordain graduates as pastors.
8. Environmental Resource Management
Environmental Resource Management is a course that looks at the natural environment all around and identifies the resources within, that can be beneficial to society.
This could include forests, grasslands, waterways, and so on. Environmental Resource Management is one of the most unmarketable courses in Kenya because it is not prioritized by the government or by even by non-government organizations.
9. Environmental Planning
Environmental Planning is all about studying the environment with a view to developing it in the best possible way. That means planning the human settlements in a way that they can be expanded easily and conveniently, without much damage to the environment. When the environment is well planned, it is possible for man and nature to live side by side without any damage to one another.
10. Animal Production
Animal Production is all about raising animals for food or any other by-products. This is a branch of agriculture, and every country has a form of this study for students. However, animal production is considered a terrible waste of years of study because there are very few large scale farms in the country that can pay enough for university graduates.
Most farmworkers do not have university degrees, but they have adequate supervision from the farm owners. Most people who do not own farms, or who do not have the kind of money necessary to establish farms of their own do not often bother to get this certification.
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Finally
The least marketable courses in Kenya are those with no markets in the country at the moment. That means Kenya as a society does not have enough structures on the ground to make them workable.
They are also called useless courses; not because the knowledge they offer is not useful, but because most people see education as an investment, and require financial security after investing in education.
