Public universities produce better graduates than private universities do

A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or sub national government, as opposed to private universities. According to the 9th Malaysian Plan, about two thirds of Malaysian graduates would not be able to find graduates- level employment has worried the citizen.

Throughout the survey of employment, it is proven that most companies prefer to employ graduates from private universities than public universities. The major reason is that public graduates have poor language skills. This is because most of the subjects conducted in Malay but not English like private universities. Besides that, public graduates do not take initiative to speak English in class to further improve their conversation skill.

Private graduates have the workplace skills such as soft skills and experience as their extra bonus in getting a job commensurating with their qualifications. Salina Jaafar is a graduate of Universiti Malaya, who has been graduated for a year but yet can’t find any employment says “I was turned down either because I didn't have the specific skills they were looking for, or because I didn't have any experience." In this competitive world, employers require people who not only have knowledge but who possess the "soft skills" as well: people who can communicate effectively, and analyse and solve problems efficiently.

In the other hand, it is well known that certificate from public universities approved by the government so graduates will not need to worry about employment after graduated. With this kind of mindset, most graduates are content with getting a first degree. They tend to study by hard so library will be the place that they always hang out. The benefit to study in public university is that they have the library with lots of book to borrow and places to study. This is what private universities lack behind because library of private universities are much smaller than public universities due to limited modals.

Graduates do not know that first degree itself has not made them employable. Graduates should have the attitude to be innovation, initiative and able to adapt in all kind of situation. "A large number of the graduates of public universities fail to make good employee material according to our clients," says Marie Lam, country manager of employment agency Adecco Group Malaysia. Private graduates are trained to fill the needs of industry both in the private and public sector, they have strength of character, and they have acquired mastery of the skills needed in today's competitive environment.

From the above point, I am strictly thinks that private universities produce better graduates that public universities do. By developing more competition and greater meritocracy in the education sys tem appears to be the only way to ensure that Malaysia produces graduates who are truly employable.