According to The Star, there are some 80,000 jobless graduates in this country ? an alarming figure indeed and one that demands immediate scrutiny.

Asked to comment on the situation, the general conclusion arrived at by undergraduates is that universities don?t merge enough of practice with theory.

Muhamad Firdaus Mosa, 22, an International Relations undergraduate at Universiti Malaya, says that his university must strike a balance between academic and practical training, including those on people skills and critical thinking which are prerequisites for the job market. He does concede, however, that the large number of unemployed graduates could be due to some of them being ?picky? about their jobs.

Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman journalism undergraduate Danny Chin Wai Chung, 19, also agrees that there is a lack of practical training at universities. He cites the example of the very basic learning materials that are given to him which clearly, are not enough to prepare him for the challenges of the job market. Students are also plagued by poor language skills, he adds, and need training to give them confidence.

?Doing practical training for three months would not be enough to experience a job’s full spectrum,? he says.