Families to blame for high unemployment rate in Africa

Youth unemployment has remained a serious challenge in many African countries including Uganda. Much as the main causes of youth unemployment are believed to be ranging from inadequate supply of jobs, high corruption rate among others, families are also to blame for the high unemployment rate in Africa.

The education foundation that our families set, plus the pressure and expectations our families want from us after university affect our career paths as Kenneth Twesigye writes.

To elaborate my key point further; as soon as a university student graduates, parents expect him/her to have a job immediately and give them some money, yet the person has his/her own personal needs and rent to pay. They forget that time has changed from 70’s and 80’s where before one would finish University, a job would be waiting for him/her.

One’s upbringing determines how he or she will live the future! This is the reason why parents should play a very big role in a child’s life. For example, if I grow up from a family marked by discipline, good counsel, believe me, my own family will have similar customs.

However, it’s different when you grow up from a family that is characterized with XYZ concerns. For example, I dream of being the “Bill gates of Tomorrow” diving into the inspirational documentary; THE SECRET, “We become what we think about.” What things will a son/daughter of a rich man perceive as important in life? Is it having a college degree? pursuing riches? Or having a girl friend? To him/her everything is served on a silver spoon!

This at one point answers the question; why is it that scholars from rich backgrounds in most cases are considered incompetent by their colleagues?

My last argument is on parents deciding career paths of their children. How can you be creative or even innovative if the career you pursued was determined by your parents? This is a major cause of unemployment, isn’t it? This is why it’s becoming more heard about in Africa than western countries.

To the parents reading this piece, why would we waste our children’s future by dictating what your children should do or not? If it’s Ignorance that I suspect, we were taught to learn and change. This gives you a chance to impact on networks’ lives and of course apologize to the ones you made preys of some unfortunate circumstances.

The quality of education in Uganda has also contributed to the high levels of unemployment in the country. Universities are almost research institutions. Students are taught to be job seekers than creators. It is high time we started teaching our children right from an early stage to be job creators and skill them with the practical skills. Let’s think in relation to vocational institutions In other-wards, let’s be responsible and rethink of innovative and creative ways we can make this challenge (youth unemployment) end. It is up to the beholder to know what will get him to win.

Thank you.