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Pakistan's Graduate Crisis: Skills Gap Leaves 8 Lakh Jobless Yearly

A new report labels Pakistan's demographic dividend a "demographic dilemma," as nearly 800,000 university graduates struggle with unemployment annually due to a critical skills gap. The mismatch between university curricula and labor market demands, both domestically and in key countries like Japan and South Korea, renders many degrees unemployable. Compounding the crisis, Pakistan spends a mere 1.9% of GDP on education, leaving millions out of school and graduates ill-prepared for technological change. The report calls for urgent structural reforms, including revised curricula and a major shift toward technical and vocational training aligned with industry needs.

Key Points: Pakistan's Skills Gap Cripples Graduate Employability

  • 8 lakh graduates yearly face joblessness
  • Degrees lack international recognition
  • Curricula misaligned with industry needs
  • Only 1.9% of GDP spent on education
2 min read

Pakistan's graduates remain jobless due to skills gap, degree recognition issues

Report reveals Pakistan's 8 lakh annual graduates face joblessness due to unaligned curricula, unrecognized degrees, and a widening skills gap, fueling economic stagnation.

"Pakistan must move beyond incremental fixes and undertake structural reform if it is to bridge the widening skills gap. - The Express Tribune report"

New Delhi, Feb 21

Pakistan's demographic dividend has turned out to be a "demographic dilemma" as a widening skills gap leads to "economic stagnation which feeds social unrest", a new report has said.

The report from The Express Tribune said the country produced nearly 8 lakh university graduates annually but struggled to access key labour markets such as Japan and South Korea due to mismatches between the skills produced and those demanded by these economies.

The report flagged findings from the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development which warned lack of certified technical skills, language proficiency and internationally recognised qualifications.

"Despite swelling graduate output, many Pakistani degrees fail to translate into employability abroad. Recognition of qualifications remains patchy, and vocational training systems lag behind global standards," the report said.

Pakistan's curricula must be revised in consultation with industry and aligned with domestic and international labour demand, while focus should move to technical and vocational training in sectors sought by these countries, the report noted.

"Pakistan must move beyond incremental fixes and undertake structural reform if it is to bridge the widening skills gap. Universities can no longer function in isolation from market realities," the report noted.

Another recent report has said that Pakistan only spends around 1.9 per cent of GDP on education, well below the internationally recommended 4 to 6 per cent, and about 26.2 million children remain out of school. Curricula offer limited exposure to digital skills, critical thinking and applied learning, leaving the workforce ill‑prepared for technological change.

The report cited surveys saying 64 per cent of graduates face employment difficulties due to skill gaps, while graduate unemployment among youth is estimated at around 31 per cent.

Further, research funding is minimal, higher education is disconnected from industry needs, and teacher quality suffers from inadequate training and limited professional development.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
It's sad to see so much wasted potential. A country's youth are its greatest asset. When they can't find jobs, it creates frustration and instability. The report is right – universities can't operate in a bubble. Industry collaboration is key everywhere, not just in Pakistan.
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Vikram M
The numbers are staggering. 8 lakh graduates a year and 31% youth unemployment? That's a ticking time bomb. They need to look at models from East Asia and even India's IITs and NITs. Focus on STEM, improve teacher training, and for heaven's sake, increase the education budget! 🇮🇳
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Priya S
While the situation is unfortunate, we must also be mindful. A stable and prosperous neighbourhood is good for everyone. I hope they can reform their system. The lack of digital skills and critical thinking in the curriculum is a global problem, but especially acute there.
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Rohit P
This is the direct result of prioritizing ideology over education for decades. You can't build a modern economy without investing in your people. Their loss is often our gain in terms of skilled professionals moving here, but it's not a sustainable solution for them. They need a complete overhaul.
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Michael C
A respectful criticism of the article: it focuses heavily on foreign employment. What about creating jobs domestically? Reforming education is one part, but you also need economic policies that attract investment and create industries that can absorb these graduates. That's the bigger challenge.

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