RAMALLAH, Sunday, July 14, 2019 (WAFA) - A study prepared by the Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) on the gap between education and the labor market distributed today showed shocking indicators, said Ola Awad, president of the PCBS.

"It should sound the alarm, and calls for complementary work between all parties involved," she said.

According to the study, the unemployment rate among graduates reached 50% at the end of 2018, compared to a 31% overall unemployment rate in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The labor force survey data indicate that about 40,000 people enter the labor market every year, about a third of them are young. In contrast, the Palestinian labor market cannot absorb more than 8,000 jobs at maximum. It means that there is a large gap between the number of young people with a diploma or higher degree and the jobs needed by the local market annually.

Among the different specializations, the highest percentage of unemployment among graduates is in the fields of humanities and journalism, with 60% and 32% respectively among males, 82% and 83% respectively among females, followed by education with 51% males and 81% females. Commerce and business administration accounted for 37% of males and 80% of females. Social and behavioral sciences accounted for 40% of males and 78% of females. Computer sciences accounted for 43% among males and 75% among females. Engineering were 39% among males and 69% among females.

The study also showed a significant decline in the quality of university education. Training in the areas required by the labor market within the disciplines are lacking during college education, found the study.

T.R.