However, it is not fair to blame the graduates only.

Sadly, another factor that has

contributed to the rising number of unemployed graduates is our education system that has
failed to produce graduates who are marketable. In a globally-challenged and highly
competitive economic situation, many businesses are struggling to survive and sustain
profitable businesses. In this context, the employers prefer to hire graduates who have both
high academic achievements and other important soft skills. The basic skills employers are
looking for from fresh graduates are spoken and written communication skills, teamwork
skills, critical thinking and problem-solving abilities and finally interpersonal skills and being
a people person. These attributes will enable employees to work productively. Unfortunately,
our education system does not produce graduates with these skills. There is a serious
disconnect between what the universities teach and the skills needed in the market. Instead of
being job-oriented, our education is more focused on ‘bookish’ knowledge. Students spend
their whole time in schools and universities in memorizing facts and regurgitating them
during exams. Practical knowledge or job-oriented knowledge are often neglected. Hence,
many graduates fail to impress their prospective employers during job interviews and do no
get hired. So, one of the core priorities in the education sector today should be education
reform. What good is a free education that will not give you a job or make you valuable in the
market.