The Tragedy Of The Degree Holders

In real life situations, the greatest tragedy is not death, but a degree holder without job, who wanders about looking for job.

Research undertaken proved that unemployment and underemployment of graduates are devastating phenomena in their lives.

It turns out that advancing equal opportunity and economic empowerment is both morally right and good economics, because discrimination, poverty and ignorance restrict growth, while investments in education, infrastructure, scientific and technological research increase it, creating more good jobs and new wealth for all of us(William J. Clinton).

But can we boast of equal opportunities when nurses and teachers get paid monthly to study for diploma, while even after degree, you get paid a little above what a learning diploma student takes for serving the nation. You would agree that, the prime purpose of university education is to make them analytical and critical thinkers towards problem solving in society, but without job and money, no matter the magnitude of knowledge and ideas, you cannot solve problems since you become mentally, emotionally, and psychologically unstable.

If we are not very careful in this country, discrimination and unemployment will be the major cause of war in the years to come . For the past decades, graduates have been clamoring for job but to no avail. It is undeniable fact that, unemployment is a major factor that led to the tragedical loss of NDC in 2016 election.

After going through the hurdles of National Service registration, one would have thought the National Service program is meant to enlighten students and make them gain experience in the natural world, that is linking acquired knowledge to real world experience.

The day of registration at the regional office is a story on it own. The long queue one has to join from dawn till the day was over will never be forgotten. Some people have to compromise their comfort and sleep at the office. The cold, mosquito bites are some of the nasty experience that makes you regret going to school. A friend of mine shed tears on this frustrating exercise. People were whipped and treated in disdain. In Takoradi, some service personnel have to be in the drizzles because they did not want to miss the line. Some people have to pay 50 and 100 cedis to have the easy way.

After going through the intricacies of service registration, they go to the various agencies and some are treated like messengers, picking and dropping of letters, being sent for cheap lunch by employees, etc. Some workers have capitalized on the educated unemployment problem in society and treat them unfairly.

The tragedy sets in after service when you are being left to your fate. The countless number of letters you have to write, moving up and down hoping that your lights will definitely shine.

The economy has forced degree holders to become a bird of passage, moving around the state to wherever they can find job. Some degree holders are still struggling to pay off their loans. Without the desired and needed jobs, graduates are accumulating debt and struggling to pay back. Such people become demoralized whenever they think about the student loan they have to pay.

They will work for two to three months with no pay. And what they tell these graduates is that, they are auditing when they should have known better. How then do they survive? Their welfare is not taken into consideration, yet in the oath of allegiance, our leaders swear to dedicate themselves to the service and well being of the Republic of Ghana and to do right to all manner of persons. Aren't we inundated with these flimsy excuses. Rethink through the stress you went through to look for accommodation, and other things you have to buy before you start work. And they are left to suffer as a result of someone's negligence. Ooh Ghana, the university education is a tragedy.

The dignity of graduates have been banished to the shadows realm.

After school, most graduates are left with no option than to leave this country and engaged in menial jobs such as cleaners, farming, security men, house helps, etc.

Government does not have good incentives for these degree holders, yet call them lazy students who don't want to go into farming and other ancillary services. No wonder, a cleaner got the audacity to tell some service personnel they are lazy after packing 3,000 seedlings in a car.

Degree holders are seen as persona non grata, whose yearning for help is not heard. Why has the government of Ghana taken university students for granted. The beautiful university system has totally collapsed and reduced to zero.

After school, most of them become a liability. Many resort to returning to live with their parents and engage in multiple part time jobs. In many communities, children have lost hope in going to school with the excuse that, after school, no job. Have you ever calculated the total amount spent from level 100 to level 400. In fact that amount can start a business. The countless handouts and books, rent, transportation, etc.

So you begin to fight against yourself as to whether you made the right or wrong choice.

If we desire a society of peace, then we cannot achieve such a society through violence. If we desire a society without discrimination, then we must not discriminate against anyone in the process of building this society. If we desire a society that is democratic, then democracy must become a means as well as an end (Bayard Rustin).

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