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Unemployed graduates on the warpath
Thursday, 29 October 2009 - 9:15 AM SL Time
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This is a peculiar country with a queer notion of welfare some people expect everything from the State free of charge from womb to tomb. They get and forget. They seem to think that the State is a huge soup kitchen. Worse, they do not care a damn about their duties and responsibilities as citizens, having benefited from free education, free health care etc.
The country has come to such a pass that university graduates demand jobs in the State sector as of right. Politicians have aggravated the situation over the years by burdening the public service which is already bursting at the seams, with more and more recruitment. It looks as if the provision of employment to graduates had become the raison d` tre of the State sector, which is an enormous drain on the public purse.
On Tuesday, a group of unemployed graduates tried to march on the Finance Ministry demanding jobs, which, they said, the government had promised. The incumbent government, no doubt, promised, before the last parliamentary and presidential elections, to launch a grandiose project to absorb unemployed university graduates into the public service. Today, it is in a tight spot. It seems to have realised how harebrained its graduate employment scheme is, too late in the day it has protesting graduates at the gate!
Our sympathies are with the unemployed graduates. If vacancies exist in the State institutions where they could fit in, they should be recruited, because how depressing it is to be unemployed is only too well known. But, the harsh reality is that the public sector is saturated.
Graduate unemployment is basically a question of lack of employability, which warrants the serious attention of policy makers. There are jobs available in this country but unfortunately the warring graduates are not attractive in the job market in spite of the education they have received. Nothing could be a more damning indictment on the university system than the plight of these youth.
On the other hand, graduates refuse to come to terms with their limitations and acquire professional qualifications and new skills they want jobs upon graduation. They ought to take cognisance of the fact that there will be no jobs in the State sector in time to come even for the products of the so-called professional faculties such as doctors. That has already happened to engineers.
The role of the State in this regard is best limited to the provision of a free and good education and the creation of conditions for employment generation. University graduates should prepare themselves for stiff competition in the job market, maybe even with others who do not possess academic qualifications as such but are equipped for the jobs available.
The education system is largely to be blamed for the quality of its products and a rethink of the kind of education provided by schools and universities is imperative. But, it is untenable to argue that schools and universities which should focus on the overall development of students have to function as job training centres.
Another factor that has led to an increase in the level of unemployment among the educated youth is the absence of dignity of labour where certain types of jobs are concerned. Who will want to drive a bus after completing university education or while reading for a PhD in this country? None! But, ironically, most, if not all, Sri Lankan students pursuing graduate or postgraduate studies in the western countries make a living out of dish washing, driving, gardening etc. It is not suggested that graduates settle for such jobs or underemployment be considered a way out but negative attitudes replete with stigma towards certain types of employment such as paddy farming, certainly have to change!
As for the unemployed graduates on the warpath, the government is in an unenviable position. It seems to have no alternative but to honour its promise even though anarcho-radical political elements are orchestrating their protests. Promises, as we keep repeating in these columns, are like babies they are easy to make but hard to deliver!
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Fancy09
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 82
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 29 Oct 2009 05:49:29 GMT Report for Abuse
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On the one hand its annoying to see this type of protests if it hinders ones movements, on the other hand can you blame these, where on earth can these guys find jobs if the state does not provide them with opportunities to get jobs, the reality here is that we have the largest cabinet, and every single one of them are living luxurious lives off the tax payers money, majority of them are only interested in serving themselves and not the people, if the Gov wants to revive the economy it should seriously think of minimising its cabinet members to a bare necessity and take away all the extra perks, in short their quality of life should be in par with the common persons, and all corrupt politicians should be weeded out and given marching orders. Once the Gov cleans out his own house am guessing there will be much much needed cash to start new ventures to provide jobs for the youth as well as improve the economy, majority of our politicians think that joining politics is a quick, get rich scheme.
'Idol mind is the devils workshop' so thats what we are seeing to day with these youth protest. |
kiwikanga
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 29 Oct 2009 05:52:31 GMT Report for Abuse
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The incumbent government, no doubt, promised, before the last parliamentary and presidential elections
SURELY!!! Don't these 'Graduates' have the common sense and intelligence not to take election promises seriously?????? |
AnuD
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 30 Oct 2009 01:47:20 GMT Report for Abuse
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There is a Nursing shortage in Sri Lanka and alao in the world.
govt can retrain these people for nursing and send overseas in batches.
No one thinks or why ? |
kiora
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30 Oct 2009 08:07:00 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Their is a shortage of Dr as well so will that be next option? Good enough for Dr Mervin the marvelous |
sampathw
Joined: Nov 2009
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 9 Nov 2009 10:05:02 GMT Report for Abuse
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| It has no dout that almost all these unemployed garduates are Arts graduates eventhough they are reluctant to reveal themselves as Arts graduates. Arts graduates are the category of graduates produced in the highest number by our universities eventhough the job demand for them is the least. Moreover Arts graduates are produced externaly in stagering numbers. Ultimately the category of graduates having the least job demand has been produced in the highest number. Unfortunately foolish deans of Arts faculties have not realized this crisis. This is the main cause for graduate unemployement in Sri Lanka. |
sampathw
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9 Nov 2009 10:10:25 GMT Report for Abuse
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| It has no doubt that almost all these unemployed gradates are Arts graduates even though they are reluctant to reveal themselves as Arts graduates. Arts graduates are the category of graduates produced in the highest number by our universities even though the job demand for them is the least. Moreover Arts graduates are produced externally in staggering numbers. Ultimately the category of graduates having the least job demand has been produced in the highest number. Unfortunately foolish deans of Arts faculties have not realized this crisis. This is the main cause for graduate unemployment in SRO Lanka. |
chinwi
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9 Nov 2009 11:42:08 GMT Report for Abuse
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Adding to sampathw. -
Not only that.
There are many external exams programmes offering Arts degrees. I had 5 people in our project office recruited for clerical and typing and office boy jobs. One of them got registered in such a course. Then realising he was passing tests with no difficulty all the others joined. After some time, now all of them are GAQ graduates. They were attending classes after the work. They talk about how the instructors (wanted to secure their places ) almost gave the answeres before exams.
We spent money to train them for our work. But after 4 years all are fighting for graduate jobs. The funny thing is still they cant draft a letter correctly not only in English but in Sinhalese also. We had to correct silly mistakes again and again.
One fellow got married to a nice girl of a respectable family 'marketing' his degree status.
Being a construction entity we have no work for Arts graduates. So we had to kept them in original job and status. |
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29 Oct 2009 13:29:09 GMT