Nzan Kikon
PR Hill, Kohima
The current state of unemployment among the youths in Nagaland is in a crestfallen state. It is a ticking time bomb that is going to explode in the next 10-15years given the unemployment rate of growth and leaves us all in a befuddle condition with an insurmountable task of coming to a solution. In the year 2016, there were 70,422 unemployed youths registered in the life register of the Department of Labor & Employment, that was two years ago by 2018 the number must have jumped to above hundred thousand unemployed youths. The 2016 registered number I presume must be way below the actual number of unemployed youths. The All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2016-17, report released by Human Resource Development (HRD) reported that for Under Graduate there were around 30,000 students and 1500 students for Post Graduate. Out of the staggering number of students graduating barely, 2000-3000 will see employment both Government jobs and self-employment. What will happen to the rest? They will be added to the Unemployed Youth files and it will only grow exponentially every year.
The Morung Express reported on the 6th of April 2018 that a number of 4, 40,306 students were enrolled in 2835 schools. My worry is that one day 60-70% of those students will graduate, in approximation that’s around 3, 00,000 students. We don’t have the resources to employ even 10% of them, what is going to happen to all of them? Let me make this very clear, it’s not the Government’s headache, it’s a collective problem, and it’s an impending crisis for the Nagas. It’s your problem as much as it’s mine. Whether you and I have an opinion on the duties and the responsibilities of the Government done properly or not, the Government can do only so much in fixing this issue. We have got to come together collectively and take this matter a little seriously and find a solution before we are left with no option.
Someone once said “Be a part of the solution not the problem” and I don’t want to keep on grousing about how bleak our situation is and rather give the solution. My heart aches every time I hear about this issue and I have given a good amount of thought as to how it can be fixed. In my cogitation to find a solution I have repeatedly asked myself, what is the root of the problem? And how can I fix it? I have come to the realization that it is not the paucity of jobs, it’s not the Government but it’s what we are teaching in our academic institutions and how we are teaching. There is a need for revamping, reshaping and reconstructing our educational system. I will be the first one to admit that not everything about our educational system is wrong but that does not mean it does not need a fixing. I have contemplated much on the word “Educated Unemployed” and I have asked myself why can’t a person be employed if he or she is educated? And I realize that the things that have been taught are obsolete now, it cannot be used anymore. Every person that steps out of a college or a university have the same hundred years old knowledge that cannot be monetized neither it’s good enough to score a job.
In my blog I have talked about how our educational system is designed to smother a child’s curiosity and creativity. Every great invention that has changed an era or brought prosperity to a nation came out of curiosity and our schools, colleges, and universities does exactly what is needed to stifle a hungry mind. A child’s uniqueness is shut close either by a teacher, the institution's rules or just some stupid silly reasons. The freedom to be self and freedom of expression is discouraged. It appalls me to find out that some of our academic institutions are almost like a prison, no sense of freedom at all. Why should learning be done in such a suffocating place? That’s the reason why learning is despised by so many students. Students are given so much outdated information to memorize and learn that they have no time to create, innovate and come up with something new. They are kept busy with irrelevant subjects that when they come out looking for employment they possess nothing new to offer and no relevant skills. There is a need for renovation in our educational system.
I can go on carp about how dissatisfied I am with how teaching is done with no passion at all but let me just say this teaching is one of the highest calling anyone can get and if it is not done passionately and creatively don’t expect students to retain what has been taught which leads to disinterest in learning and that is a recipe for crisis in the long term.
Locating the root of the problem is only half of the job the other half is how do I fix it? I did some research and did some brainstorming as to what our students are lacking hence the present crisis and I was able to come up with some few things that may fix the issue not immediately but will definitely show positive results 10-15 years down the line. It may take time but it sure will give us progress. So what needs to be done? We need to introduce new subjects, relevant study and modern fields that will propel our students for guaranteed self-employment in the future. I say self-employment because that is the only way now, the Government cannot create jobs for every citizen. Once you teach an individual how to fish he/she will feed herself/himself for a lifetime.
These are the things we need to start teaching in our academic institutions;
Entrepreneurship: How to be an entrepreneur or how to run a business should be taught very early. It is one of the best forms of self-employment. It not only employs oneself but it is also one of the best ways for creating more jobs. Selling is an art and art should be taught early in schools and colleges. If you want to be wealthy be an employer, not an employee.
Basic Financial Management: My knowledge of financial management is very thin so I won’t say much but it’s important that every student should be taught how to manage personal finance very early in school.
Technology: The current biggest wealth creator in the world is technology and I think that should suffice but if that is not enough here is my point, technology will continue to exist as long as humans exist and to be ignorant of how technology works is digging your own grave. Artificial intelligence is going to take over the world very soon and we need to be ready. The new craze in the technology world is Blockchain and data management. Schools, colleges and universities in Nagaland must introduce technology as a subject for the sake of our students.
Coding: Our world is run by computers as of now and it will continue to do so and computers are run by codes, it’s the language of computers. Coding knowledge is guaranteed employment or employer in the future. It must be included as a subject in our schools and colleges.
Management: Whether it is time management, planning or organizing it is an important subject to be included in the curriculum. If we can teach how to manage time properly, how to handle, prioritize, organize and plan well I think it will be a stimulus for the students for a successful life.
Critical Thinking: I think the ability use logic and reasoning is one faculty that everyone should possess and must be taught in schools and colleges.
Problem Solving: the ability to think in a different way and solve a problem is a huge advantage for anyone to possess.
Life Skills: life skills are abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enables humans to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of life. Basic life skills such as public speaking, efficient writing, networking, emotional and mental health and the ability to do good research should be taught in schools and college.
These lists of skills are not currently taught in schools and it needs to be if we are to fix our unemployment crisis in the next 10-15 years down the line. This is not the full list, I am refraining myself from including the comprehensive list because this is not a guidebook. I hope this reaches the right people so that we can see the wave of change that will come. By taking this small step we can unleash a sea of innovators, employers, wealth creators, inventors, entrepreneurs, world-class business people, CEOs and so on in Nagaland and to the rest of the world.
