Looking for work
Education is a very powerful tool in life. We all seek and need education with the hope that we would find employment. Countless people are not been given the opportunity to utilize this powerful resource because of the deprived economy in Zimbabwe. Thousands of graduates and postgraduates are seated in their homes with nothing to do. Where are the jobs? Jobs must be created.
There are so many universities in Zimbabwe. But can Zimbabwe’s economy sustain this? It’s like adding harm to injury. It is a fact that Zimbabwe is one of the best countries in Africa in quality of education. I for one agree with that because I am a result of this good edification. Despite lack of resources, Zimbabwe still maintains that standard. What worries me is whether being educated is still worth it in our country anymore. The rate of unemployment is so high and keeps soaring. I was amused when I read an article in the Herald about auditions for a radio talk show where thousands of people turned up in hope. The director of this radio talk show insinuated that people were enthusiastic about the auditions. I should think that these were just unemployed people with a hope of just getting a job and being able to earn a living. The next batch of graduates are yet to be released adding to the already high rate of unemployment.
Economists with their jargon talk about the demand and supply curve. It does not tally at all. There are not enough jobs to meet the number of educated people in this country. Thus people resort to leaving the country to what they have termed “greener pastures”. But is it all green and rosy out there? I know of many Zimbabweans who would die to come back home, but to what? They would rather sacrifice to be out there to earn the little they can and send some back home, with their professional and academic certificates safely tucked away in the hope that one day an opportunity will arise that would best suit their qualifications. Hoping that the dust would not have settled on them too…
I do wish that our economy will one day improve, and if possible the sooner the better. People cannot hustle forever, and if hustling wont work then what? Crime?
To those graduating this year and the years to come, I say brace yourselves for the reality, they call the Industry.
Tuesday, March 27th 2012 at 10:32 am
I have been following with keen interest the stories of the women harvesting sperm from men, the snake and matumbu tales doing their rounds in Zim. An initial reaction to these stories is horror and total disgust to the people involved. However on further reflection i started wondering if maybe one of the major reasons for people-particularly young people in doing these deeds is the issue of high unemployment in Zim. In a situation where people are highly educated and that education is far from a guarantee for getting a job, the desperation-coupled by family pressure to get just any job can surely get to you. This desperation opens up the space for one to make various choices to earn a living – including those that one would under normal circumstances consider undesirable. For my part I feel that it is a great tragedy that our highly educated society has to resort and be reduced to such unpalatable choices. It is a tragedy for our country and has compromised the country’s moral and ethical fibre. I wonder is this can this ever be restored?
I believe that our government should be supporting employment opportunities through creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurship to thrive. However in my view it appears that the government punishes its people for trying to be entrepreneurial. They allow cheap imports from China in mass at the expense of the local industries which can provide more meaningful employment opportunities. Those who know China’s track record know that they do not really create meaningful employment opportunities for the local population. if they do not bring over their own people, they pay a pittance to the local population, they abuse workers and trample on the rights of the workers becuase they know they can get away with it. Why are they not stringently regulated? The government also continues to allow for other cheap imports like the infamous GMO chickens again at the expense of the local industry. Why not protect your local industry until it rebuilds and is strong again then maybe consider allowing for those imports?
The government exerts high taxes and duties on locals importing staff for re-sale. My feeling is that they coud give some favourable concessions to locals who are really trying to earn an honest living.
I urge the government to provide the necessary incentives for locals to create jobs through encouraging and rewarding true honest entrepreneurship.