University courses should be adapted to meet the economic needs of the society.

University courses should be adapted to meet the economic needs of the society.

What do you think of this statement?

Introduction

Each year, reputed universities churn out successful students. These graduates leave the portals of their university only to enter the workforce. While it is essential to earn a living and clear their student loans etc. it is equally important to contribute to society, and the economy of the land.

Economics versus overall development

An education is not meant to be a feeder service to the workforce. A good education is meant to equip a student with the life skills that enable her or him to make a living with the education as she or he sees fit. It is not a factory to churn out tailor made employees for a workplace. A sound educational system instills a set of good values in a student, which encourages the student to contribute to society, and the economy.

If the existing courses were to be altered to enable a country’s economy, it could have the following implications on society:

• Increased competition-Competition will become cut-throat if there are several people with similar qualifications for a particular job profile.

• Decline of fine arts and social sciences-Other professions or occupations such as the fine arts (which are not considered to be economically viable), will become obsolete. For the all round development of a society, the development of its art and culture is equally important.

• Students will become materialistic-Students who are potential employees will become extremely money-minded, and will lose focus on the finer aspects of life.

• Decline of the spirit of curiosity-Students might become too entangled in acquiring a good job that they might stop asking questions both in academics, and outside.

No economy can grow without overall development. If economic growth is the only aim, then the development of the economy will be one sided. It is important to encourage archeologists, historians, academicians, bibliophiles, artists, dancers, and musicians among others. It is up to the government to provide and create jobs for university graduates irrespective of the course they take. This is in the interest of the economy to avoid a skewed growth graph.

Conclusion

To conclude, it is my opinion that the existing courses at the university level should not be modified to fit economic requirements. We should not create graduates to fill up (economically viable) jobs. On the other hand, we should create jobs to accommodate the graduating students. The government should create a demand for the skills that the students acquire. Society should accept the various products and services that the new generation of workers brings to the table. To tilt the scales in favor of typical money spinning jobs would not just harm a healthy growth trend, it would also prevent the spirit of entrepreneurship and risk taking. This will eventually be harmful to the economy.