Kandahar University graduates staying jobless

KANDAHAR CITY (PAN): Many university graduates in southern Kandahar province complain they are failing to find jobs in their respective fields.

Graduating from various faculties, the Kandahar University students alleged government jobs were available for those who paid bribes and had political connections.

Up to 420 students recently graduated from nine faculties, which most of them currently searching for jobs.

Mohammad Zahir, who graduated from the Shariah Faculty, told Pajhwok Afghan News he had completed his degree despite hardships, but could not find a job.

A resident of Greshk district in southern Helmand province, Zahir said it had been a tough task for him to convince his brothers to support his studies due to extreme poverty. “Now when I have completed my studies, my family members think it is my turn to feed them,” he said.

Zahir said he had knocked at many doors to find a job, but he was asked about experience that he lacked.

An irrigation faculty graduate, Mohammad Saleem, who has been in a similar dilemma, said government jobs were easy to be found if one had money and approach.

He claimed most government jobs had been occupied by relatives of government officials despite less educated.

A disappointed Saleem said he had borrowed money from relatives to complete his education and only a job could help him return the loans.

Noor Ahmad, who graduated from the engineering faculty, said he would not join a government department due to lengthy recruitment process and meager salary.

He said those worked with foreign organistaions received high salaries, but the problem was that such organistaions had limited their activities in recent past.

The engineer said it was the government’s responsibility to create jobs for university graduates and recruit educated people in its departments in order to improve their efficiency.

Officials at the Kandahar Career Centre also acknowledged the problems being faced by graduates in finding jobs, saying up to 50 graduates approached the centre on a daily basis in search of jobs.

The centre’s deputy head, Syed Ahmad Qani, said they had arranged training workshops for graduates to help them find good jobs, but only a small number of them had been able to be recruited.

However, he added a majority of 380 individuals recently introduced to government and non-governmental organisations were offered jobs. About 900 male and female students have been hired on temporary basis at various offices, he said.

Qani said most offices looked for skilled persons; therefore new graduates faced problems in finding jobs.

He also accused the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission (IARCSC) of favouritism and applying a long employment procedure in its office.

But IARCSC officials rejected Qani’s claim, saying the office worked in accordance with its rules and regulations.

They insisted no one had been hired on favouritism. IARCSC acting head Azizullah Wagrai said 9,512 workers and officials had been appointed at the Kandahar office, where 530 vacancies remained vacant.

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