Closing the Cybersecurity Skill Gap in Kenya: Curriculum Interventions in Higher Education

Abstract

In the wake of increased cybercrime against insufficient cybersecurity professionals, there is an urgent need to bridge the skill-gap. The demand for skilled and experienced (approximately 40,000 to 50,000) cybersecurity professionals in Kenya is soaring all-time high. This demand is against the available 1700 certified professionals. Therefore, this paper seeks to bring to fore interventions put in place to address the skill gap through curriculum interventions. In order to get a clear understanding, the paper sought to determine the status of cybersecurity skill gap in Kenya and what universities are doing to address the gap. The paper also sought to propose the way forward to close the skill gap. This is a seminal review paper in the field of cybersecurity in Kenya focusing on institutions of higher learning and the interventions to address the cybersecurity skill gap. This research is significant to the general institutions of higher learning in both private and public universities. Results show that the cybersecurity skill gap is very high in Kenya. Interventions being offered by universities include partnerships with private cybersecurity organizations, offering cybersecurity certification training hackathons, and degree programs. However, it was established that only 13.2% of registered universities that offer cybersecurity degree programs in Kenya. The paper therefore strongly recommends launch of cybersecurity programs at the levels of unde rgraduate and graduate in many universities. This can therefore be au gmented with other interventions such as certifications, hackathons and partnerships. Further research can be conducted to establish factors affecting the launch of cybersecurity programs in institutions of higher learning in Kenya. A further research can also be conducted to determine the effect of supplementary cybersecurity trainings such as hackathons and certifications.