EVERY UNIVERSITY COURSE IS USEFUL

 The last time I checked Uganda had over 40 universities. That is a sign of development and we do not take it for granted. Education plays a key role in shaping a nation's development. It is also a fact that over 70% of Ugandans are below 30 years . It is also a fact that youth unemployment is a big crisis not only in Uganda but across the world.

In his book After University What Next, Ambrose Kibuuka effectively diagnoses Uganda's education system and indeed some of the reforms that are being made are a step in the right direction. For a long time universities have been accused of producing graduates that are not relevant in the market. The question is, is it the universities to blame or is it the graduates? I do not have the right answer because unemployment has structural causes that have many dimensions for a single individual to correct. In a recent article in a media publication it was noted that over 500,000 university graduates were boda boda riders. Remember there was a time in the past when a university student was assured of a job before graduation. Today one of the biggest fears of a university student is what awaits them after graduation.

The question that I pose is, is there a useless university degree? Ambrose Kibuuka points out that every degree is useful if the university graduates have the right perspective towards the course. For example I do not think that a student who has studied entrepreneurship should be worried about employment. Why should a student who has studied Business Administration fear to start a business? Could it be the fact that our education system trains us to become managers more than job creators? How come Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard university to start Microsoft and today he is employing thousands of graduates? Iam not trying to say that every one is built to start a business but Iam simply highlighting a public concern of university students graduating and they complain about the lack of jobs.

There are so many youths who have studied short courses and have created sustainable enterprises while a university student is still waiting to complete his three year degree to look for a job. Isn't that too late? I know of a prominent medical doctor in Uganda who is now into private business and is a role model to society. It proves to us that we need graduates who do not limit their influence to what they have studied. I have interacted with graduates who think that they can only do what they have studied. That limits their career options. A graduate should be open minded to embrace skills that can take them to the next level.

Also there is a tendency of graduates limiting their reading to text books and not reading newspapers and other topical magazines. The era of reading to pass exams is long gone. Today the world requires graduates who are informed about the trends of the world and can identify solutions to problems of the world. The world requires a graduate who is a researcher. The world requires problem solvers and people who add value to humanity. Luckily Uganda is a developing country with so many challenges waiting to be solved. We need to produce graduates who are critical thinkers and who can analyze issues. We need graduates who are not interested in get rich schemes but are able to analyze the long term impact of their courses in the grand scheme of life. We need graduates who do not place all their faith in the marks on the academic transcript but can utilize the knowledge acquired to add value to humanity. The opportunities are endless for a university graduate who is open to learning but the one who is closed to growth will be left behind even with a "good degree".

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF A UNIVERSITY DEGREE

1. Have a long term vision for your life

2.Develop a curious mindset

3.Build your people skills

4. Avoid reading to pass

5.Read beyond your degree. For example News papers

6.Use your skills to solve social problems

7. Network . Join associations to make a difference

8.Volunteer your skills

9.Embrace technology

10. Invest in personal growth

11. Build your confidence


University education is very important not only to a person but even a nation. We have so many graduates but we are struggling with the unemployment dilemma. What is the cause of this? Is the problem with our degrees? Should we put the blame on graduates? I do not have a clear answer but from the above discussion something can be done.


Phillip Kiryowa

Personal Finance Coach

Advanced Empowerment Link

+256752615916

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