While the problem of individuals who are highly educated but unemployed can be found around the world, the situation in Pakistan is particularly dire and urgent: in 1994, nearly half of the unemployed in Pakistan were educated.
This form of unemployment is not only expensive, since it wastes valuable education dollars, it is also socially disruptive. Jobless but educated youth often become hopeless for any kind of future in Pakistan, or in a growing number of cases, become part of the brain drain and leave for countries in industrialized nations where there are more employment opportunities.
Part of the problem is the lack of emphasis on vocational and technical training and too much stress on abstract knowledge. In Pakistan, about 323,000 students pass the matriculation exam yearly. Out of these students, it is estimated that over half will choose post-secondary education and only 20 percent will seek vocational training or business education.
Of those who choose the path to higher education, the majority enter the general bachelor's and master's degree programs with little to no career counseling. This is explained by the fact that the state provides a 91 percent subsidy to higher education while recovering only nine percent of the total cost through fees. Therefore, it is very easy to obtain higher academic education in Pakistan. The problem though is that this education does not teach skills that will be marketable in the job market after graduation, thus creating a mismatch between the degrees students earn and the jobs available to them, especially in the private sector.
The other option is to seek employment with the government. This too, however, is problematic, since regional quotas and financial constraints make the pool of jobs possibly even smaller than in the private sector.
As for those who enter the job market right after high school, studies indicate that only two-thirds of them are able to find jobs, while the rest continue to be unemployed. In addition, 20,000 to 30,000 intermediate-level students fail to find jobs each year.
However, even in faculties that offer technical training, the skills taught are sorely lacking. One example is in the sciences.
Only one-quarter of matriculating students pursue further education in science. Among those who decide to pursue a career in engineering, the only option the Pakistani Universities of Engineering and Technology make available is a Bachelor's of Science in engineering. That means these schools act as engineering colleges rather than universities, by churning out graduates with a bachelor's degree level education and completely ignoring post-graduate training.
To make the problem worse, there is an too much emphasis on traditional areas like civil, mechanical and electrical engineering, while areas like computer and software engineering, which offer more opportunities, are generally ignored. This deals a nasty blow to young, bright students who have the interest and intelligence to succeed in such fields which are more likely to provide the promise of a job than in the traditional domains of engineering.
To bridge the yawning gap between qualified Pakistanis and the country's job market, a number of urgent steps need to be taken to reform the educational system. Here are five that can help:
1. After students pass the Matriculation level, they should be required to take a National Aptitude. This will create two streams of students. One will include those students who will pursue general education and the other technical/vocational training. This is why the test must be designed to identify students with an aptitude for technical work so that a larger number of youth can be directed towards training programs and apprenticeship schemes.
2. Students who pursue higher university education should be more focused on research. Only the brightest and the most talented students who show an aptitude for scholarly research should be encouraged to choose higher university education.
3. Employment in the public sector should not be based on quotas, but rather on merit.
4. There must be career counseling and guidance provided to youth, so that trained experts can share their knowledge and help steer the next generation to fields that will benefit them and the country.
5. The Pakistani government should conduct labor market surveys to provide students with information about job prospects, labor market requirements and job descriptions. Armed with this information, students will be able to make better choices for their future.
