Page 98 - Lybia Flipbook

Growing Up in Turbulent Times
After nearly 15 years of transition and conflict, few young people in Libya remember their country prior to 2011. While most of them remain hopeful for the future, prospects for the present are stunted by the limited progress to a durable political solution, leading some to find solace in the Arabic proverb that .)Patience is the key that unlocks relief( ”الصبر مفتاح الفرج“ After all, other countries suffering similar challenges have moved beyond their difficulties and are now catching up. Libya’s turn could be next.
With about 1.1 million citizens aged 15 to 24, youth comprise a third of the potential national workforce. This represents a big opportunity. Under the right circums- tances, Libya’s youth could drive the country forward, inject dynamism into the economy, help find innovative solutions to contemporary challenges, and generate enough income to finance pensions and social services. For such benefits to materialize, the country needs to modernize the education system, create new jobs, and design initiatives to empower youth politically and socially. Without supportive conditions, this untapped potential could lead to discontent. Young people graduating from university reasonably expect their years of study to be rewarded with a decent job. When this expectation is not met, demotivation and resentment can settle in. And if young people feel their voices are not heard, some might look to less productive methods of effecting change.
Libya has already experienced the power of young people and can create the conditions to further harvest their potential. Youth were critical to the 2011 revolution, and their active participation in political parties and elections continued in the following years. Thanks to their enthusiastic contribution, the number of political parties and civil society organizations jumped from less than 100 before 2011 to about 1,900 in just one year. As civil strife escalated and the political process stag- nated, however, this enthusiasm dimmed. The sluggish economic situation is particularly stifling for the next generation, as it erodes trust in institutions and increases anxiety about the future. Social media create awareness of opportunities that are all too
This trend began in the early 2000s, and the years of protracted conflict took a further toll. Modern technology, such as computers, is seldom used; instead, teaching continues to rely on traditional rote learning. Many of the teachers lack the qualifications and training that would help them perform better. Government divisions have stymied much-needed educational reforms, and curricula remain outdated. Combined, these factors put Libya among the lowest performers worldwide in terms of education quality and learning outcomes.
The outdated system leads to a mismatch between what graduates offer and what hiring firms or institu-
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often unavailable in Libya and that make leaving the country seem appealing.
“To describe Libya in a line from a song, I choose the following: “Oh Libya... you are the ambition of our children, you are
in the blood of our ancestors, and you are our inheritance to our grandchildren.”
Fatima, 30 years
tions are looking for. This results in young people having trouble finding work. Every second youth is unable to get a job, giving Libya the fourth highest youth unem- ployment rate in the world in 2021, double the average in the Middle East and North Africa.7 Young women have an even harder time finding employment despite higher education levels than those of their male peers.
Today’s young generation is
more educated than at any time
in Libya’s history, with almost
universal literacy and three
out of four teenagers enjoying
secondary education. These rates
are uniform throughout the
country, in both rural and urban areas, with girls slightly outnumbering boys in high school. Fourteen universities and 91 high technical institutes offer ample choice to go beyond high school, and education is gratis at all levels.
Unfortunately, this unemployment trend is worsening.
Sarah, an energetic twenty-six-year-old who was about to earn her Master’s in languages from Benghazi University, explained the situation, taking herself as an example. She was worried about what could come after graduation, given that job prospects were so low.
However, while many more children go to school than in the past, the quality of education has worsened.