The representative of the supreme religious authority, Sheikh Abdul-Mahdi al-Karbalai, called for the importance of developing laws that fit the Iraqi reality and the financial situation in order to recruit university graduates, especially those with higher degrees.
Al-Karbalai said in the Friday’s sermon held at the holy shrine of Imam Hussein "pbuh" on August 2, 2019, that "The media outlets are broadcasting the protests and sit-ins of higher education graduates in front of some ministries to express their legitimate demands for employment just like any other citizen of this country."
He called on the government and parliamentary bodies to develop solutions appropriate to the Iraqi reality and the financial situation according to the rules and regulations in order to create employment opportunities for this segment," noting that "Some may claim that the employment capacity does not meet the numbers of these graduates and that the government sector has been burdened with many recruitments, while the financial situation cannot absorb that many of unemployed university graduates."
"There are several recommendations to improve the country's development and to create opportunities for graduates," Al-Karbalai said, adding that "These recommendations are related to the economic situation in Iraq in general, as well as to the graduates, and that if they were seriously applied by parliamentary and government agencies, they will lead to the development of the country and to solve all the problems it suffers."
Al-Karbalai pointed out that the first recommendation is "The experts and specialists in the economy field are constantly asking for opening an important and significant entrance to provide suitable employment opportunities within the idle private sector in Iraq for reasons that are not difficult to address if there was a serious will and adequate legislation, as well as the administrative facilities to activate and revitalize this sector by providing safe environment for investors and issuing the rightful punishment against corrupt officials."
"The second recommendation states that: the necessity of activating the private sector to absorb graduates does not mean exempting the public sector and related state departments from their responsibilities towards this important segment, because if the concerned parties have given the priority to those who deserve away from partisan and sectarian interests it in the first place, then they could've solve an important part of the problem," he noted.
The representative of the supreme religious authority pointed out that the third recommendation clearly stated: "It is necessary to develop a suitable program to identify the education fields and scientific disciplines most needed in the country and to guide students to choose them through appropriate motivations, in addition to paying serious attention to those of higher degrees in the fields of agriculture and industry due to their important role in the country's economy."
