The transition from secondary school to university is considered a very delicate stage in the lives of students, especially since university life is completely different from the lives of students in secondary schools. The options are very open, in addition to the total dependence on oneself, which many students do not know how to manage because they are not accustomed to such freedom and choice.
We find out that they may choose a specialization that does not match their inclinations, as well as specializations that are not required in the labor market. These students continue to study these university degree courses without knowing the nature of the profession that they will practice after graduation. The problem is that the Ministry of Higher Education’s role is unfortunately limited to the equivalency of certificates, although it is supposed to have a role in determining the specializations required in the labor market as well as in the job classification of these students by both government agencies and the private sector.
In many cases, the labor market forces university graduates to work as secretaries after joining the workplace. It is not fair to treat them equally with institutes’ students or graduates of secretarial courses. However, the labor market today needs secretaries more than their specializations. This certainly constitutes a major defect and contradicts the labor law.
Given the multiple complaints from graduates, the Ministry of Higher Education, in coordination with the Civil Service Bureau, is supposed to determine a job description for university graduates so as not to force them into secretarial jobs, especially since the institutes graduate a large number of secretaries and there is no shortage of secretaries in the labor market.
The Ministry of Higher Education is supposed to stop university specializations that are not in demand in the labor market so that the efforts of students (who studied for four years after high school) will not be wasted. Many graduates have high grades but do not have the required specialization and counseling, given that their parents are uneducated. These students become victims due to a lack of guidance and counseling. The Ministry of High Education should have provided them with counselors before they chose their specializations.
In addition, there are still other specializations that offer them no other opportunity or choice other than teaching. Therefore, it is necessary for the Ministry of Higher Education, the Civil Service Bureau, and the Public Authority for Manpower to coordinate with each other in order to create job opportunities for university graduates in line with their qualifications.
loca@kuwaittimes.com