Lilian Chesikaw – Institute of Women, Gender &Development Studies, Egerton University

Charles Wambu – Department of Community Development and Environmental Management, The Cooperative University of Kenya

Email: jessicabunei.jb@gmail.com

Abstract: Kenyan migrant domestic workers in Saudi Arabia fall largely outside labour-inspection systems. This study examined how their protection is enforced, an area rarely studied from workers’ perspective, focusing on inspection frequency, grievance reporting and resolution, the prevalence of rights violations, and the conditions respondents linked to impunity. Aconvergent mixed-methods design combined a structured survey of 128 migrant domestic workers and returnees with 17 key informant interviews and 8 interviews with family members. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests and qualitative data were analysed thematically. Workplace inspection was nearly absent with 85.9 % of respondents said no inspection had ever taken place, and 91.4 % had experienced at least one rights violation, most commonly denial of rest days, passport confiscation and excessive working hours. Fewer than half of affected workers reported their grievances, and only 11.9 % secured full resolution. Respondents linked this enforcement gap to the kafala sponsorship system, the exclusion of private households from inspection, and slow institutional response. The study concludes that weak enforcement, not a lack of formal protections, is the reason human-rights violations against this population continue, and calls for structural reform of inspection systems, complaint mechanisms and bilateral accountability arrangements.

Abstract: This study assessed the relevance of university curriculum to the labour market demand in Arusha Region, Tanzania. The objectives were to: examine the shortcoming of various aspects of universities curricula to labour market demand and determine the strategies to enhance Universities Curricula to the labour market demand. Human Capital Theory guided the study. The study adopted convergent mixed methods design. Interview guide and questionnaires were used to collect data from respondents who consisted of 60 postgraduate students, 12 lecturers and 10 employers selected from a population of 350. Cronbach Alpha reliability correlation coefficient for postgraduate students’ questionnaire after the pilot study was, r =0.799 while qualitative instruments were confirmed through cross-validation among different data collection methods. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics in the SPSS Version 25. Results were presented in form of tables of frequencies, percentages and means. Qualitative data were thematically analysed using thematic coding. Findings revealed that there is limited financial assistance, inadequate ICT materials and insufficient industry engagement. Additionally, the strategies include integrating practical experiences, establishing clear guidelines for funding virtual learning projects, and fostering industry partnerships. The study concluded that there is need to establish industry advisory boards to provide continuous input on curricula development, ensuring it meets current market needs. Incorporate project-based learning and real-world problem-solving into the curricula to develop practical skills. The study recommends that universities should place a stronger emphasis on entrepreneurship education to better prepare graduates for starting their own ventures that would contribute to economic growth.