Graduate Unemployability: Values and Perspectives

Abstract

The Higher educational reformers has been critically discussed the quality and the values of graduates in Sri Lankan universities. The reason for this is many of graduates could not get a job mainly in private sector while the government sector had been following strict policy on reform the state service. Under these circumstances, the graduates faced severe employability problems or they have been waiting for a job more than two years. The authorities have taken many attempts to work out of this problem. First; the government has introduced educational reforms to the university sector in terms of improve the quality of education and modify the course structures that matching with the international standard where it has given priority to English medium education and IT. Second; it has made platform to gaze on their students in different ways mainly teachers have realized that the students are important component in both teaching and administration work. Thirdly; the educational reforms have made a competition within the departments in universities by competing additional funds to develop the quality of education. Fourthly; these reforms have been widening the gap between branded and non-branded courses in the university sector in Sri Lanka. Relating to the International University standards that quality of our universities are at very poor level. There are no favorable academic and research atmosphere in many departments including physical resources. There is no job satisfaction among the academics. There are pessimistic ideas than the optimistic ideas among both students and academics. Many of them do not have use the library or electronic media to acquire and up grade the new knowledge. This study monitoring that the roots causes behind this scenario and to identify the possible alternative solution for this issue. The qualitative and quantitative techniques were used within the survey method in this study. The graduates and undergraduates in sociology were the focused group and all of them represent the University of Kelaniya.