Abstract

Higher education for young people, including marginalised groups, is crucial for fostering equitable and sustainable development. Yet, in a context of youth bulge and youth employment crisis, education may not deliver on its promises, motivating this investigation into graduates’ transition to employment. Drawing on recent data from Ghana, Kenya and Uganda, this study reports on graduates’ opinions on the usefulness of their education or training for transitioning into the workforce, exploring the impact of various factors such as the quality of the educational system, age, gender, STEM education, and residence areas, among others. Our findings reveal that not all graduates perceive their education as highly beneficial for securing employment and excelling in their roles. The quality of the education system and gender are found to drive the perceived usefulness of education to transition into employment. Specifically, compared to their male counterparts, female graduates view their education as less beneficial for finding a job, while a higher-quality education system is associated with a more positive perception of its effectiveness in preparing graduates for the workforce. In light of these results, we advocate for policies that go beyond expanding access to higher education. We emphasize the urgent need to enhance the quality of tertiary education and training for African youth, as this plays a pivotal role in their transition into employment.

Keywords: Higher education, Transition to employment, Quality of education, Control function, Africa