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| Sunday, 27 February 2005 |
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Social status, security and freedom entice graduates to public sector by Jayantha Sri Nissanka Social status, job security, freedom in Government jobs were some of the attractions for graduate trainees who joined the public sector recently. After interviewing a cross section of graduates, the Sunday Observer learnt that many of them employed in the private sector earn more than Rs. 12,000 a month left their jobs for graduate trainee posts. When inquired whether their friends were engaged in any job earlier, they said that it was wrong to assume that all unemployed graduates are not engaged in any income generating activity. To find out almost every one was engaged in some activity. Some of them were under employed and some were gainfully employed. The Government designed this project to train a new set of Government officials who can compete with the private sector as well as promptly attend to public needs. But after speaking to them the Sunday Observer learnt that this objective cannot be achieved unless a comprehensive training be given to effect an attitudinal change in graduate trainees. Initially, the Government estimated that there were only about 28,000 unemployed graduates in the country but when applications were called for, it received 42,000 applications, because many graduates in the private sector too applied. However, many graduate trainees also complained that they do not have much work in the Government institutions they were attached to. Appointments were given for 40,000 graduates and the Government spends Rs. 240 million for their monthly allowance alone. Now the Finance Ministry was studying the files of all graduate trainees to ascertain whether they were employed in the private sector or not. The Ministry also took affidavits from graduates stating that they were not employed anywhere. The Sunday Observer learnt that many graduates who were gainfully employed in the private sector have misused this scheme becoming a further burden to the Government and the people. Unemployed graduates were once a burden and trouble for every Government in the past. The Henry Olcott statue near the Fort Railway station was a witness to many picketings they were staging to pressurise the Governments in power to give them jobs. They also underwent severe hardships when demanding jobs. Once Police in civvies packed them in four busses one night and left them near the Borella Cemetery when they launched a fast unto death protest in front of Temple Trees in 2001 during the UNF Government. Some graduates spoke to the Sunday Observer while requesting to maintain their anonymity. A girl who graduated in Tourism Management from the Sri Jayawardenapura University left her job at a four star hotel. She was paid Rs. 15,000 as a Management Trainee. When asked why she left, she said that there was more freedom in the public sector. When asked whether by "freedom" she meant idling without much work, she smiled. She said her family did not like when she was rostered for night shifts. She also said sometimes she felt odd to say that she was working in a hotel when her relatives queried. Another girl employed as a merchandiser in a garment factory earned Rs.20,000 as an initial salary. She said that the salary was not enough considering her commitment to work. She said that it was difficult to run a family while engaged in a busy private sector job. She also complained of unfavourable social attitudes towards garment factory employed girls. Another boy who had done an Arts degree said that he was very happy with his teaching profession. When asked what he was doing earlier he said that he had done a few odd jobs but there was no job satisfaction. But now he was happy with the teaching profession in a school in Ambalangoda. Another graduate educated at the Sabaragamuwa University was earning Rs. 14,000 as a Human Resources Executive. He regretted joining as a graduate trainee. Last Thursday, he went for an interview in a private company. When asked why he is leaving the public sector, he said that he felt his life was being wasted unproductively in the public sector. |
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