KUALA LUMPUR, 20 Dec: University students from PKR are urging the government to solve unemployment problems involving graduates with a Bachelor of Education (IMSP) degree and graduates from Private Institutes of Higher Learning (IPTS) as promised in the 2013 Budget.
Mahasiswa PKR (PKR University Students) President, Haziq Abdul Aziz said that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s credibility should be questioned for failing to solve university graduates unemployment problem.
He explained that lately, 2,000 IMSP graduates from University Tun Abdul Razak (UNITAR) are unemployed because they have not been granted job applications by the Education Ministry.
“2,000 IMSP graduates were deemed ineligible to apply for jobs as government school teachers although MQA recognises Education degrees from UNITAR.
“In fact, UNITAR’s ISMP syllabus is the same as the syllabus at teacher training colleges and IPTA (Public Institutes of Higher Learning). However, they are not given equal opportunities in their application to become teachers,” he said at a press conference at PKR Headquarters.
According to Haziq, apart from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) also is responsible in this matter as they had granted approval to UNITAR to offer this course but cannot guarantee employment for ISMP graduates from UNITAR.
He added that opportunities for (job) application is preferably based of merit and should this situation continue, students will encounter problem of paying off National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans.
Meanwhile, PKR Strategy Director, Rafizi Ramli urged Umno-BN to be responsible regarding this matter as they were also in cahoots with the KPT in offering teaching courses.
The fact is, they know that these vacancies have not increased as previously stated when graduates involved met with Umno-BN leaders.
“Umno-BN should be responsible for the fate of these graduates because private institutions that are offering ISMP are institutes that are closely connected with Umno leadership such as UNITAR.
“At the same time, KPT is approving recruitment quotas by giving UNITAR licence to offer IMSP by giving the picture that these graduates will obtain employment in the country’s teaching service,” Rafizi added.
UNITAR is owned by Yayasan Pintar where the Board of Directors also comprises Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Mustapha Mohamad and Datuk Seri Ali Rustam.
