Employers must become involved in curriculum development

THE BIGGEST headache most governments face is the spiraling unemployment crisis. Since economic development in many cases, has not been corresponding to the number of graduates that are churned out every year, much more needs to be done to arrest a situation that could turn into a malignant tumor, if it is not already.The few employment opportunities available are not really available to many graduates because many employers find them unemployable. Reason being that the little they learn in school isn’t relevant to the job demands. Many employers find it necessary to retrain new recruits, an exercise that they do not cherish because of the costs involved. What is the problem?The education curricula and its implementation have been on the receiving end whenever the quality of graduates is in question or whenever the unemployment rates soar. Because no particular individual is available to take responsibility criticisms and talk goes around in circles, ending nowhere.It has been documented over and over that the stark mismatch between the education curricula and the employable skills required in the job market are to partly blame for the ruinous unemployment situation that is currently being witnessed. Worse is the fact that many stakeholders are vividly aware of the issue but no clear measures have been taken to address it.Prudent steps that have been taken in many countries to help solve the unemployment crisis can be widely viewed as cosmetic when examined in a broad perspective. Entrepreneurship is one of the best selling unemployment remedies but the same question of relevance of curriculum and the practical demands of starting and running small and big businesses cannot be dropped.One of the goals of education is to impart skills that can lead to employment - self or formal employment. When this objective is not achieved then an education system can be said to have failed.The fact of the matter is resuscitation is needed in many education systems. This can be done by bringing employers and curriculum developers together to discuss the issue. Employers should give their input to the whole process of curriculum development and revision so that their needs and requirements can be infused into the curriculum.On the part of curriculum implementation, there should be more focus on the inoculation of the required skills into the prospective graduates rather than emphasis on preparing students for national or local examinations. Memorising the subject matter to pass an examination cannot do much even if the curriculum is from heaven.More field visits should be encouraged to give students a chance to learn in practical work environments and apply the trial balance and balance sheet rules in real life situations.Kenneth G. Johnson (1922-2002) American educator once said “education is man’s going forward from cocksure ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty”. The future of employment is as uncertain as the direction of wind but a quality curriculum and right instruction can take us there.