KHOST CITY - The governor of southeastern Khost province on Monday said gatherings celebrating the youth would not be symbolic and vowed practical work to create jobs for the new generation.
Hukam Khan Habibi was addressing a gathering marking the International Youth Day at the administrative complex in Khost City, the provincial capital.
The governor said he would not only create jobs for the youth but also give them full participation in the overall political process.
He also urged the youth to concentrate on their studies and give their education more time if they wanted to reach their desired goals.
“I have firm belief that the government has the will to hand over the youth fundamental tasks and responsibilities and participation in the Afghanistan’s rebuilding,” the governor said.
But experts say the biggest problem the Afghan youth face is joblessness and the government has failed to resolve this key issue.
Gul Sharif, a youth in Khost, told Pajhwok Afghan News that thousands of students graduated from higher and semi higher educational institutes each year, but they were unable to find jobs.
“Nothing will happen by celebrating the youth day, practical and realistic work should be done for them, they need permanent jobs.”
Gul Nabi, another youth, said due to widespread corruption in government departments and giving preference to kinship over merit were main reasons behind joblessness among the youth.
He said if the government did not pay attention to the mentioned problems, joblessness among the youth would further increase.
“Our demand from the government is that it should appoint honest people to key government positions in order to eliminate corruption and pave the ground for eligible and skilled persons to find jobs.”(Pajhwok)