THE Governor General, Sir David Vunagi, has highlighted the country’s high unemployment rate as the central issue that needs to be addressed if social peace and economic independence is to be achieved by all Solomon Islanders.
Sir David said employment opportunities in both the Public Service and the Private Sector have been saturated that school leavers, including university graduates find themselves at the deep end of the stick in trying to secure employment.
The Governor General raised the menacing national issue in his 2023 New Year’s Address.
He said many organisations – both church-based and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) – strive to address social issues in the country but lacking resources, they end up addressing the symptoms rather than the cause.
“The main cause, in this regard is unemployment that causes stress and trauma, that leads to domestic violence and other anti – social problems. Unemployment is the central issue that needs to be addressed if self-reliance and economic independence is to be achieved by all.”
He said obviously, there is no quick solution to this problem, adding that the seasonal labour mobility schemes in Australia and New Zealand may assist to alleviate the situation but not the panacea.
On that note, he posited the idea of university graduates and school leavers endeavoring to create job opportunities instead of merely waiting around to be employed.
Sir David said in view of God’s endowment of Solomon Islands with abundant natural resources, universities, schools and vocational institutions need to review their curriculum to prepare their students to create jobs.
“The status quo for universities and schools to prepare their students for white collar jobs or even blue-collar jobs is no longer true.
“Very often students graduate with theories and academia, something very abstract but lacking economic strategy. I believe economic strategy is the missing link that needs to be incorporated in the school curriculum.
“The economic strategy should instil in students what is available for them after graduation including what financial facilities are available to help them create jobs.
“Students must be encouraged to exercise resilience and the freedom in taking risks to pursue tasks to create jobs. It is the moral responsibility of the nation to see these things are available for newly graduated students from our universities, schools and training centres.”
The Governor General said after 44years of independence, Solomon Islands should now be able to define its manpower needs.
He said in the pre-independence era, scholarships were offered to successful candidates who would occupy jobs that would be available to them when they graduate from universities.
Sir David said this is not happening now because scholarships are offered to students who do not have jobs to come back to.
“In view of that we must establish a general consensus plan, where our training for human resources development can take us to. It is only those who do not know where they are going can afford to travel without a map,” he added.
