Chinese investments open channels for skill development in Kenya

Kenya stands to gain much in skills and knowledge development with the growing investments from the Chinese entrepreneurs, local experts in issues of social and economic growth said.

China has continued to strengthen its ties with the leading East African economy in the recent years with its presence being felt in some of the sectors critical to the country's growth.

Among them being the infrastructural sector, mainly the modern road network and the railway as well as energy and education.

Professor George Gongera, a human resource expert said on Sunday that China's way of nurturing its people's skills is a learning experience for Kenyans.

He said for more than three decades, the now technologically advanced country has been sharpening the skills of its citizens in preparation for macro-economic developments.

"Kenya can borrow that model of training and intensify its approach to building the capacity of its young people such that they can have the skills needed for growth in the country," said Gongera who is the Dean in the Faculty of Co-operative and Community Development at Co-operative University College of Kenya.

Overtime, Chinese investments in the leading East African economy have grown as the number of the newly established enterprises increases, creating more jobs for the locals.

For Professor Tom Nyamache, an economist, the cordial relations between the two countries should result to the mutual sharing of experiences oriented towards expanding investment opportunities.

"It is important that both Kenya and China gain from each other. They should be strategic investment partners who can complement each other in development," he said.

He said China is a good market for Kenya's agricultural products as well as tourism products and thus need to enjoy the mutual benefits.

"For instance, the Standard Gauge Railway is an avenue through which Kenyans and Chinese can share and learn from each other thereby boosting their technical skills," he noted.

With the slump in the tourist arrivals in the country, Kenya is looking to the Middle East to save itself from gloomy state affairs in the sector.

Through the Kenya Tourism Board, the government is engaging Chinese tour agents to bring more than 100 visitors monthly.

Number of the Chinese guests grew from 31,486 in 2013 to 34,923 last year and their arrivals is projected to rise with the launch of direct flights from Kenya to Guangzhou.

Professor Nyamache gives Kenyans a fair reason to learn Chinese as an added advantage.

Already, plans are underway to introduce the language into Kenya's educational curriculum.

Higher learning institutions including the University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University have also established Confucius Institutes facilitating training in the Chinese language.

"It is an advantage to learn Chinese language. As more Chinese enterprise's set base in the country, so does the job opportunities. However, it should be an asset that increases ones opportunities to work anywhere around the world," he said.

He said demands in the job sector have changed while opportunities in the formal employment have increasingly become scarce requiring skillful enhancement of individual's abilities.

He added that globalization has brought forth new economic avenues and Kenyans can explore employment opportunities beyond the local boundaries thus the need to increase their absorption chances.

He, however, said there is need for the two countries to have a clear understanding on investments made towards promoting literacy in the East African nation to draw mutual benefits through cultural exchanges. Endi