Puntland State of Somalia’s University Graduates Endure Prolonged Unemployment

[Deeq A.]

Operating in a highly unregulated higher education market: The logos of some of the universities based in Puntland State of Somalia.

Garowe (PP News Desk) — At a cafeteria in Garowe town centre, Ali (not his real name) worries about his job prospects upon graduation. He faces the dilemma of trying his luck in the Garowe job market or going to another region of Somalia. In Puntland State of Somalia, the number of unemployed graduates is increasing. There is an unaddressed mismatch between the courses taught in lo universities and the jobs available after graduation. The absence of government policy to tackle unemployment complicates the situation.

The centralised government structure in Puntland State concentrates power in the presidency, although a federal system remains the foundation of governance in Somalia. No resources have been allocated for higher education institutions in Puntland State, a policy that promotes the emergence of private universities in a highly unregulated environment. The rector of one university in Garowe, who spoke to Puntland Post on the condition of anonymity, claimed that some universities in Puntland rip students off by offering courses taught by under-qualified lecturers. “Some universities offer courses that impose serious economic pressures on families burdened by university fees,” said the rector.

A labour economist in Boosaaso City has faulted universities in Puntland for not being proactive in keeping records of the employment statistics of their graduates, even in the first year after graduation. Nepotism and the scarce public and private sector markets tend to dash the hopes of university graduates, some of whom opt for illegal immigration (tahriib).

The dearth of vocational training courses in Puntland affects the choices students make, leading them to sign up for degree courses for which they do not have aptitude. Foreigners take up technical jobs that Somalis are unable to do. “It is every family’s aspiration to see children going to university after secondary school. More students apply for degree courses out of filial obligation to please parents,” said Mohamud Hassan, a retired university lecturer in Galka’yo.

According to a higher education researcher associated with a think tank in Puntland, veterinary and agricultural science courses are in demand. “Many livestock owners and farmers in Puntland realise that the lack of veterinarians and agricultural extension professionals limits the potential of these two industries to contribute meaningfully to the economy of Puntland State of Somalia,” said the researcher.

© Puntland Post, 2024

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