Role of Indigenous Education Content in Mitigation of Youth Unemployment: A Case of the Abagusii Community of South-Gucha District, Kenya

Abstract

Youth unemployment is a social and an economic problem in the modern world. In contrast, in the African traditional societies, unemployment was rare and crimes were minimal. Several factors might have contributed to this level of unemployment and crime rates, among them being the African indigenous education. However,   the Abagusii community in Kenya has high unemployment rates and gradually has abandoned its indigenous education despite this indigenous education prepared youths for future roles among the Abagusii. Therefore this study aimed at critically examining the content of indigenous education among the Abagusii. Structural-functionalism theory and ethno-historical research approach were employed along with emic and etic research designs. Purposive and snowball techniques were employed in sampling and 35 informants were interviewed. Interview schedules and archival sources were used to collect primary data. It was noted that indigenous Abagusii people taught youth skills in carving, weaving, farming, brewing, smithing and herbalism. Values like honesty, fairness, hard work, self reliance, productivity and creativity. Positive attitudes were also instilled like loving manual work and youths growing knowing to be job creators hence all this mitigated unemployment in this community. The study recommended the current system of education to borrow some best elements from indigenous education so as to mitigate youth unemployment in Kenya.