Desakan Kebolehpasaran Siswazah hanya Menyusutkan Nilai Universiti.

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(Sumber foto: english.com)

Sering terdengar pentadbir Universiti melaungkan slogan "kebolehpasaran graduan". Pada hemat saya, ini suatu amalan songsang yang perlu dihentikan. Ia serupa memaksa pelajar jurutera memfokus kepada kemahiran memandu sedangkan sepatutnya mereka belajar tentang enjin dan kejuruteraannya.

Sekali2 tidak dinafikan, bahawa negara perlu membangunkan sektor pendidikan dan latihan dalam membina kebolehpasaran generasi baharu yang melangkah ke alam pekerjaan, tetapi tempatnya BUKANLAH di universiti.

Selojiknya, kalau mahu cemerlang dalam "pasar(an)", pergilah belajar di pasar(industri),  Tidak pelulah menghabiskan masa 4 tahun di universiti yang pengajarnya bukan orang pasar(industri) pun.

Bayangkan, antara skil2 kebolehpasaran ini sangat mudah, kemahiran komunikasi, menulis surat rasmi, menggunakan ict, menulis minit mesyuarat, menggunakan perisian2 tertentu, berbahasa dengan cekap, matang dalam komunikasi. Sebahagiannya boleh diperolehi melalui kursus pendek  sahaja, dan sebahagiannya hanya boleh dicapai dengan bekerja dan melakukannya. Sebahagiannya pula sangat terfokus produk yang betul2 memenuhi pasaran (market fit) ini hanya boleh dicapai dengan bekerja langsung dalam industri. Jadi kesimpulannya, tak perlu habiskan masa bertahun2 diuniversiti.

Sekarang ini skill2 "kebolehpasaran" sudah melambak diluar sana. Boleh diambil secara microlearning, as and when necessary. Untuk skill professional pula, sistem apprenticeship dan mastery learning, juga boleh dijalankan di akademi, sekolah lanjutan dan kolej2 professional. Mereka boleh buat lebih baik dari universiti. Bahkan gergasi korporat terbesar didunia telah mula mencari pekerja berkemahiran, ijazah universiti tidak penting lagi.

Jadi universiti boleh fokus menangani masalah yang kronik sekarang: kelompongan keinsanan dan ketandusan pemikir kreatif,  berwibawa dan beramanah. Pensyarah universiti bukannya hebat ataupun faham skil industri terkini. Sarjana universiti mungkin telah meninggalkan industri berpuluh tahun. Jadi bila universiti dipalu berulang2 kali dengan buzzword "kebolehpasaran", "kerjaya", jadi mengelabah dan tak tentu arah. Hendak kaji dan sampai ilmu baharukah, atau nak mengajar cara bekerja yang terkini ada di pasaran?.

Jadi mungkin kursus berijazah universiti cukup 2 tahun sahaja. Melainkan nak jadi sarjana dan phd, tentulah lebih masa diperlukan. Cadangan 2U2I (2 tahun universiti, 2 tahun industri) mungkin sesuatu yang boleh diperkasakan lagi.

The two years in industry, students should be gainfully employed. They gain experience, perspectives and income. And at the university they can choose subjects or skills that suits their need,  potential and focus, as they maneuvre their individually unique way towards insan kamil. No overarching outcomes (dictated by a select group from senior generation) should dictate where they should go.

Or industry could create 3 days work week scheme with corresponding lower salary. The other two days they study at a university.

Anak2 kita pun tidaklah terbeban 4 tahun di universiti menanggung hutang, sepenuh masa, tidaak dapat bina pendapatan dan tidak dapat bina pengalaman.

Lebih sesuai, untuk mahir dalam industri, mereka terus bekerja dalam industri, membina pengalaman dari bawah. Universiti hanya mengajar ilmu yang lebih penting untuk membina pemikiran dan memahami kehidupan. Asas ilmu, retorik, geografi, sejarah, seni, bahasa, falsafah, politik dan ekonomi, dan lain2 Ilmu kemanusiaan yang menutup lompong keinsanan.

Nilai universiti perlu di fahami semua. Yang mengajar di universiti, sarjana2 yang telah habiskan masa bertahun, wang berjuta untuk dapat ilmu baharu. Sangatlah tidak sesuai mereka dijadikan operator kilang untuk menghasilkan pekerja mahir dalam pasaran.

Mungkin kita tidak perlu sebegitu banyak universiti dan professor seperti sekarang. Sebaliknya sumber2 itu boleh digunakan untuk membangunkan kolej, akademi, sistem perantis yang lebih berkesan membina kebolehpasaran.

Oleh Zaky Jaafar, November 2021
#thinklogwargafikir

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