JOBS! -UNIVERSITIES- JELL?

PAKISTAN : One of the most intriguing points in the Pakistan Labour Force Survey 2017-18 is that the unemployment rate for -

For those holding at least a bachelors's degree is 16.2 percent - almost three times higher than the national unemployment rate of 5.8 percent.

This means a relatively higher proportion of the country's educated workers is sitting at home hoping to find a find a decent job.

STUDENTS dream about enrolling in top-tier universities because they believe that those institutions are their gateway to well-paid jobs and professional success.

Unfortunately, only a handful of institutions across all fields of study can truly groom their students.

So the problem of most varsities being under par is a severe one.

Top business schools are considered a ticket to all executive job in any top corporation. This is due to the fact that these schools recognize the needs of the market and develop their students accordingly.

The courses they offer, the curriculum they teach, the quality of their faculty and their contact-base are such that their students don't have a hard time finding jobs.

Even though there are some business schools that are are working hard to achieve the top local standard, most schools are still at rock bottom. The quality of their coursework and faculty, their enrolment criteria and the average student profile are severely under par.

Obsolete text books, lack of substantial research and students technically bribing their institutions to get their degrees are common.

In science, as well only a handful of universities produce quality doctors and engineers. Graduates from medical schools are unskilled and lack confidence to actually deal with a patient.

That is because too much theoretical teaching takes place at medical schools without any emphasis on practical work.

Similarly, we often hear jokes about unemployed engineers.

''Despite being a distinguished field globally, engineering does not get the respect it deserves in Pakistan, and even in the developing world.

That is because too many universities produce too many engineers even though their demand is limited owing to Pakistan's underdeveloped industrial base.

Lots of schools have a low merit criterion. So it's easy for anyone to enroll, which raises the supply of potential engineers.

Many engineering schools lack advanced labs with relevant instruments and tools. They are theoretical in their teaching and students are encouraged to learn by rote.

That is why students struggle to find a decent job in the market.

The honor and serving of some recent thinking on Jobs, opportunities and state of education, continues. The World Students Society thanks author Fahad Saleem, a student of IBA, Karachi.