42% of the unemployed in Iran are university graduates; why this figure is a disaster
A worrying issue in Iran is the unemployment of university graduates. The difference between the unemployment of these people and those without a university education is the amount of money and time that a country or individual, family, and educational system spends on preparing them, and the expectation is that they will be absorbed into the labor market after graduation, but in Iran this process is not very appropriate and correct.
Almost a month ago, the deputy director of the Iranian Management Organization for Social and Public Affairs Development announced that 42 percent of the country's unemployed are university graduates. Just two days ago, the deputy education minister of science announced that 17 percent of university graduates are unemployed.
Reducing the unemployment rate was one of Hassan Rouhani's main slogans in the last two presidential elections, but not only has this rate not decreased, but it has increased.
Statistics related to graduate unemployment are varied and sometimes contradictory. Meanwhile, the unemployment status of graduates also has clear differences depending on the gender of the individuals.
Masoumeh Ebtekar, Hassan Rouhani's deputy for women and family affairs, estimated last year that the unemployment rate for educated women is three times that of men. One of the issues that experts acknowledge is that in Iran, there is virtually no connection between universities and economic institutions, and there is no solution to professionally attract university graduates.
Economic analyst Siamak Shojaei told VOA that in the world, it is the labor market that tells academic circles what fields and education it needs, not that they can open any field anywhere and in any place, similar to what we saw at the Azad University.
Meanwhile, the unemployment crisis is not limited to the educated class.
Hassan Rouhani's government has not achieved any achievement in reducing the general unemployment rate, and many experts even consider the announced rates to be lower than the current realities.
However, the annual increase in population and the large number of new graduates looking for work have made it difficult for the 12th government in Iran to control the situation.
Siamak Shojaei believes the reason for the Rouhani government's failure is the government's lack of planning and incompetence, and says that the labor force is increasing by 2.5 percent. This figure means that if the Islamic Republic creates three million jobs a year, it can keep unemployment at this level; while we know it cannot.
The economist added that in a healthy economy, the five basic needs must first be met and then jobs must be created. This means that the government must provide food, clothing, health, education, and medical care, and then move on to job creation, something that the Iranian government has not done.
Economic crises, including rising exchange rates and new international sanctions, do not present a clear and precise outlook for improving working conditions and reducing unemployment rates to job seekers.
Source: Voice of America
