Abstract:
nowledge creation, dissemination, and consumption require the
use of an appropriate language. Kenyan Higher education relies
more on non-native languages, which brings about
communication disconnect at all levels, including, the utilisation
stage/ in practice, a stage that determines how much of the
acquired knowledge is consumed for societal development. The
study investigates communication challenges that professionals
in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
(henceforth, STEM) and Law encounter in their careers, and
argues for the inclusion of the Kiswahili component in the
Kenyan Higher education curricula, for effective knowledge and
skills application. Consequently, we identify and critically
discuss the place of language in the development and
implementation of curricula in Moi University (henceforth, MU);
examine the dis/harmony in knowledge and skills application
and utilisation, and finally, conceptualise a holistic Higher
education future that embraces the peoples’ shared linguistic
code- for productivity. Using the Communication
Accommodation Theory, data from 15 university students, 10
lecturers and 15 practitioners in the above fields, 6 Kiswahili,
French, and German (2 for each) lecturers, and 20 consumers of
related knowledge and skills are analysed. Findings inform the
Kenyan education policy-makers and implementers on the need
to re-evaluate the place of language in Higher education curricula
for STEM (and by extension, the Arts, Social sciences, and
Humanities, (henceforth, AHSS)) for effective knowledge and
skills utilisation and eventual societal well-being.
