When a major online marketing organisation looking for young graduates to manage their call centres and other tertiary services launched a walk-in interview campaign they saw more than 3,000 interested candidates showing up for an available 30 positions. More than half of them were university graduates from social sciences and humanities disciplines. The management had devised a three-stage procedure to shortlist the applicants. But to the dismay of the employers, not more than one dozen candidates could make it to the final stage.

Dull performance in the general knowledge contest (of rudimentary nature) and low comprehension of English were handicaps common to the majority. The management was particularly disappointed to note that even applicants with distinction in English in their transcripts could not make it to the second level of competition.

Our country has recently seen the mushrooming of universities both in the public and private sector. Keen observers term them as ‘degree mills’ where paper qualification is earned without competence. Barring some institutions in major urban centres, the decay has infected a sizable number of varsities in the interior locations of the country. Frequent studies and fact-finding missions have been constituted to diagnose the disorders. Poor quality education at the school and higher secondary school level, low quality teaching, absence of academic discipline, frequent closures due to political influences, dubious examination criteria and corruption at each stage of working are some of the factors which have shaken the foundations of our higher education structure.

The credibility of university degrees has greatly diluted. The private employers devise their own procedures to induct fresh cadres for common purpose jobs. In the case of public-sector employers, the validity of degrees and their corresponding link to promotion process is a matter beset with scandals. It was alleged in press reports recently that the high office of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority was lately occupied by a person who possessed no relevant educational background suitable for the job.

Recent estimates compiled by Higher Education Commission reveal that not more than 0.5 million students are able to enroll in the universities. In a country of over 180 million people, it is an extremely low figure. Within this number, a sizable chunk is rendered incapable to acquire employment by virtue of the degrees to which they have been admitted. While unemployment remains a national menace, there is no reason why any graduate from a university would remain jobless. Whereas the employers complain about the unavailability of competent manpower for routinely generated vacancies, thousands of idle degree holders with bleak prospects of employment are contrasting sides of the same coin.

It is ironic to note that the concerned universities pay no heed to improve the scenario. The top management is content with the status quo where pupils fetch degrees without learning for the same. Leaders of the depressed locations/regions continue to patronise the forced retardation of learning norms to fulfill their nefarious designs. If real education takes its roots, the vices of honour killing, women bashing and ethnic /sectarian prejudices shall vanish. But this is not a simple task. Challenging the status quo both within the respective universities and their controlling echelons shall be a near impossible venture. The only solution is to apply the science of muddling through.

Some skill sets can be introduced and subsequently upgraded without stepping on the ego of the concerned. Working knowledge of English language is one aspect. Experts in linguistics confirm that attainment in English language alone can open the doors to several domains in employment. Primary/secondary schools, hotel and tourism industry, communication sector, media and fashion industry, sales and marketing, performing arts, information technology and a hoard of service sector outfits are in constant need for young men and women with business English competence. Personal grooming and other etiquettes shall soon be attained by this young lot.

There are number of ways of obtaining qualified faculty to build up this capacity. The Aga Khan University Institute of Education and Development, Society for Promotion of English Language Teaching and the British Council has useful programmes and resources to extend support to the concerned stake holders. These links can be particularly useful to acquire teachers and other resources for universities located in less developed regions.

The other ability, which is generally sought after is information and communication technology. The entire service sector is dependent on this sector. General degree holders must be trained in basic computer packages, use of emerging software in business domains and commercial applications. The HEC has done praiseworthy work of developing computer laboratories in many far-flung universities. The respective managements can design and implement curricula for their various degree programmes by making the most of these facilities.

The writer is professor and chairman, Department of Architecture and Planning, NED University, Karachi.