Article on Youth Employment and Its Promotion (WASSCE)

Write an article for publication in a national newspaper on the issue of youth employment and suggest how this can be promoted by the various sectors of the economy. (WAEC WASSCE 1999) 

Here is a model answer to the above WAEC WASSCE past question:

Youth Employment and How Various Economic Sectors Can Promote it

There has been a steady increase in the number of young people without work, and it appears that nothing has been done to reverse this trend. It has also become common knowledge that unless one obtains enviable grades or has a strong protocol somewhere, they will be forced to remain at home until a miracle occurs after finishing their postsecondary education. The National Youth Employment Programme, another initiative meant to help young people find jobs, also failed to stick around and eventually disappeared. It's terrible that Ghanaian moms spend money sending their kids to school, only to have those kids waste their knowledge and abilities later in life. Governments worldwide have implemented policy initiatives and programmatic interventions. But I'm confident that other industries can lend a hand in turning things around.

The lack of available jobs is a major barrier to youth employment. The youth face the challenge of insufficient job opportunities as they seek to do their part in the development of their country. The young men and women who complete their education at their country's training and tertiary institutions are unable to put their newly acquired skills to use because the government has failed to provide sufficient employment opportunities. Discontent with the current administration is fueled in part by the frequent tirades and constant focus on the country's high unemployment rates delivered by the candidates of the various opposition parties whenever they take to the podium. As a result, the population often takes to the streets in protest, and if the government isn't careful, it could be toppled.

Governments should work with the private sector to provide these young people with opportunities to gain employment. A government's future is largely in the hands of its young people. If there aren't going to be jobs when people finish school, then it's not a promising idea to start sending kids to school at a youthful age. Young people who are out of work can be put to beneficial use in the agricultural sector by working on large-scale plantations to grow food and cash crops for export.

The poor working conditions that come with some of the lucky young people's job opportunities are discouraging. According to the adage, "if you can't have what you want, you'll have to learn to like what you get," many young people accept jobs in bad faith. Since there are so few workers, those who do have jobs often endure subpar conditions. When they make even a minor error, they face severe punishment, up to and including termination. The saddest part is that they only get a pitiful sum when the company loses money. A recent report indicated that 35% of the young people employed at the Obuasi Gold Mines were laid off as part of a cost-cutting measure. When young people are enticed by the prospect of easy money, they often act recklessly. In Ghana, the youth make up 53.1% of the population but receive a disproportionately small share of the country's resources. Therefore, the Social Welfare Department and the National Labour Commission should work to raise wages for all workers, but especially for young people. Not to mention, motivational packages and incentives can come in the form of walls. When prompted, most people respond by giving their absolute best effort.

On top of that, the yearly graduation rate has been rising steadily. Those lucky enough to receive an education in Ghana often neglect their training, causing them to gradually lose any advantages they may have gained. As another adage goes, "Perfection is the result of persistent effort." Young people are sent to different national service stations after finishing college, but the real disaster strikes when they return home. Since unqualified individuals have been given important jobs, no one should be surprised if you find yourself unemployed.

Finally, most students dream of working in the white-collar sector but overlook the fact that there are many other types of jobs available in the modern economy. There are a lot of people out there who would love to work at a bank, hospital, or other large company, but there are only so many positions available. Many young people have a fervent desire to work in professional fields, but it would be impossible to find work for everyone in the world. Young people should be provided with a well-rounded education in a variety of disciplines before they reach the age of adulthood and are expected to choose a career path. They shouldn't have their sights set on the more prestigious white-collar jobs. Young people looking for work should look to the service industry. To make more money than they would in certain white-collar jobs, graduates should take on their own service work.

A nation's future success depends on how well it treats its young people. Adopting and thinking about the suggestions above would go a long way toward solving many of the problems caused by youth unemployment.

Yaw Barima 

A Patriotic Citizen