Effects of Curriculum to Relevance of Purchasing and Supplies Option of Moi University to the Work Place in Kenya

Abstract

The relevance of higher education to the work place has been an issue of concern to scholars, government and international institutions such as the World Bank, OECD, among others. This is more so in Kenya where most of the original objectives of the universities for instance, are becoming increasingly obsolete in the face of rapidly changing conditions and needs of the society. Critics of university education in Kenya believe that key abilities such as critical thinking, problem solving, among others, are frequently not developed at university. Hence, the result is that graduates are not equipped with relevant skills and competencies required for work. The extent to which these assertions are correct with regard to purchasing and supplies education in Kenya remains an issue that needs to be investigated. The study assessed the relevance of the curriculum of purchasing and supplies option of Moi University to the work place. Reliability was tested using Cronbach’s Alpha. Simple regression was used to analyze and test the hypotheses. The findings of this study indicated that curriculum (X) was found to be a significant determinant of the relevance of the program to the work place (Y) with t = 2.800. These findings hold implications for Moi University, to intensify pursuit of necessary and favourable changes in curriculums to ensure that they are relevant to the job market. The study concludes that the curriculum needs to be strengthened in order to build students’ skills and abilities which are crucial in the work place. It is recommended in part curriculum should be composite of both academic and vocational training and that the Procurement Act should be an independent course studied thoroughly in the third and fourth year of study. Lastly the university should endeavor to review this program regularly as stipulated in its charter.

Key Words: Curriculum, Relevance, Work Place, Kenya