KABUL (SW) – Despite repeated pledges by the Ministry of Higher Education for reforms, the teaching techniques and curriculum remains obsolete and uncreative.
In conversation with Salam Watandar, a number of Kabul University students said they are made to learn worn-out curriculum material to earn grades.
Shayesta, a fresh graduate from the faculty of agriculture, said her subject requires plenty of field studies, but they have been out in the field for study only twice in a whole year. Evidently worried about job prospects, she said the whole higher-education regime is outdated, and does not meet the latest market demands leaving fresh graduates in a disarray.
She also blamed the students for being too lazy, and relying solely on teachers for references.
A number of students at the social sciences department are equally distressed over the state of affairs. They said the outdated curriculum and teaching techniques force them to simply learn by heart whatever is taught in lectures and curriculum.
Meanwhile, the MoHE has pledged to change this. Faisal Amin, spokesman for the MoHE, told SW work is underway on a new higher-education policy aimed at encouraging students to conduct independent research and be innovative. He said the new policy is based on the active participation of students and teachers alike, and it would also be in line with the market demands.
Amin promised such competitive policy would encourage and facilitate students and teachers to be proactive in the quest for latest updates in their respective fields of study.
On top of this, most of the fresh and previous university graduates are feeling tough time in getting jobs. Safiullah Momand, a KU graduate from the faculty of journalism, said there are more problems in the job market, such as corruption and nepotism.
Vowing to bring drastic reforms in the public sector appointments, Nader Naderi, head of the Administrative Reforms and Civil Service Commission, has said only the qualified and worthy people would be appointed. He promised equal job opportunities would be ensured for everyone. Naderi also encouraged university graduates to opt for public sector jobs via the CSC.
According to the MoHE, an estimated 180,000 students are busy seeking higher education in the public sector universities and some 175,000 are enrolled in different private sector universities. Bases on these figures, up to 40,000 would graduate from different universities this year.
ENDS
