The belief that knowledge is useless has resurfaced in some Chinese villages as many graduates from rural areas have not met their parents' expectations. Unable to find a decent job in a city, they fail to provide financial support for their families and even ask their families for money so they can get married or buy a house, says an article on youth.cn. Excerpts:

The gap between an increasing number of college graduates and the limited number of jobs has made job hunting ever more difficult for university graduates. It is not easy for them to find a place in a city if there is not much demand for their major or they are not fully competent in the professional skills employers are looking for. Both urban and rural students are facing similar problems and need help from their parents. Receiving higher education has a big influence on people's lives, not only can they get higher salaries their career path will also be more promising. Besides, most job hunters, including many from rural areas, gain employment because of their abilities.

People should not put all the blame for village graduates failing to find a job on their rural identity. Nor should people jump to the erroneous conclusion that knowledge is useless.

But students from ordinary rural families should consider the return on education before going to university. They should apply for schools and majors with good career prospects. They should not only acquire professional knowledge but also other skills to enhance their competitiveness and lay a solid foundation for their success in the job market.

However, it is because of the divorce between college education and society that many university graduates can only find an ordinary job with a humble income. Education departments and universities are responsible for guaranteeing graduates a life of dignity by giving genuine attention to the quality of education they provide, adjusting their teaching plans according to the requirements of the job market and training their students with the skills that employers are looking for.

Mechanism to end extravagance

The eight provisions issued by the new leadership at the end of last year to combat extravagance and waste have been so well enforced at local levels that many restaurants received cancellations before the Spring Festival holiday. The demonstration of a more frugal style of government should be maintained, says an article on xinhuanet.com. Excerpts:

Many officials were prone to hypertension or at risk of diabetes because of the frequent social activities and banquets they enjoyed. Such a "wine culture" also gave rise to power-for-money deals under the table.

Fortunately, the eight measures to reduce official extravagance and waste have bunged a cork in the traditional alcohol-lubricated activities prior to the Spring Festival and officials had the time and energy to concentrate on their duties.

Government departments and officials at all levels should firmly stick to the provisions and fulfill their tasks without ostentatious displays of their status. Otherwise, the new policy will not only fail to lead to a better working style, it will also give rise to new bad habits and invite fresh complaints and criticism from the public. However, any system or regulation will never be effective unless there is a sound and long-term mechanism for its enforcement so that in the future it becomes the norm.

(China Daily 02/26/2013 page9)