Unemployment Among the Graduates of the Education System In Palestine

The Palestinian higher education shows an increase in the number of tertiary education institutions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBGS). The political and economical environment in Palestine is not stable which makes it hard to have real and stable labor markets projection. The research represents a major and important step towards encouraging the Palestinian Tertiary Educational Institutions (PTEIs) in tracking their graduates and therefore has a broader and much clearer image about the labor market needs by reviewing the relevant literature and examining the initiatives and efforts of (PTEIs) and private sector in the (WBGS).

To design and test two sets of questionnaires, one of which was designed for graduates while the other was for employers. The first set classifies graduates as employed in their field of specialization, employed in fields other than their field of specialization, and the third as non-employed. The other set deals mainly with employers. The questionnaires were designed, judged by experts in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and tested on a represented sample of graduates. After the approval and final modifications, more than 1000 copies were prepared to be distributed to the targeted samples.

The research demonstrates several experiences from different countries from Europe, U.S.A., African, and Arab countries. Collected data showed that there is no formal graduates’ tracking system at higher education institutions in the WBGS. In fact, activities linked to tracking graduates are modest and in their infant stages; moreover, these experiences are limited to few universities and colleges.