Universities churn out jobless graduates - Ayariga

Young people are increasingly feeling excluded from society, that they are frustrated by the lack of jobs, and are angry at governance structures that do not seem to work for them.

Founder and leader of the All People's Congress (APC), Dr Hassan Ayariga has express discontent about the nature of the courses universities offer to students.

In a statement in commemoration of Ghana's 61st independence celebration, Ayariga said institutions of higher learning, including universities just churn out jobless graduates.

"We are not able to couch precise curriculum for basic education in this country. Is it not a shame to cram 12 subjects in poor children at this stage and have them examined in 5days? What kind of confusion are we putting them through?

"This mistake is evident in the universities. Students are given course combinations that they make mockery of. University of Ghana still runs a Classics department in this IT age. We need to revise the courses taught in the universities to prepare our young ones to fit in the job world. Industries have complained severally about the raw graduates produced for the job market. This is the time to change it. Why do we think our children are rushing abroad to further their education? Let us manage to find out," he said.

On the Free SHS programme implemented by the government, he said the policy was just "trial and error approach".

He added: "The post-colonial time was a promise of quality education free of charge or at affordable rates. Our 4th Republican constitution mandates us to make education progressively free. Today we managed to misunderstand this mandate and reduce it to lip service. We are talking of implementing free senior high school without any road map. The trial and error approach has exposed our mismanagement."