Every week we hear about bright young students leaving Pakistan for foreign universities. They are not leaving just for better degrees. They are leaving for basic respect and functional opportunity. Our youth is becoming a silent statistic of frustration. According to recent reports, youth unemployment has crossed 15 per cent. Almost 40 per cent of graduates feel their skills do not match market demands. The recent economic disruptions have made entry-level jobs even harder to find.
We must make at least one vocational or digital skill course compulsory in every college semester, establish district level youth mentorship hubs with private sector partnership and give tax incentives to companies that hire fresh graduates for two-year paid traineeships.
Kiran Yaseen
Peshawar
