Yunus wants entrepreneurship-focused learning to replace jobseeking culture

Old education model is self-destructive and must change fast, he says

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has called for fundamental reforms to Bangladesh’s education system, criticising higher education for being job-oriented and hostile to creativity.

Speaking at a South Asian regional conference on higher education in Dhaka on Tuesday morning, Yunus said the existing system turns young people into jobseekers or obedient “slaves”, despite humans being born free and creative.

“Our education philosophy is fundamentally flawed,” he said. “We assume students must become employable after finishing courses. If they fail to get jobs, we blame them. But we never ask why we are producing people only for jobs.”

Yunus said the concept of jobs originates from a tradition of servitude.

“You take orders and carry them out even if you do not like them — that is slavery. Humans are born as creative beings,” he said.

He urged a shift towards producing entrepreneurs rather than jobseekers.

“Tell young people: you are not jobseekers, you are job creators. Imagination is the greatest human strength,” he said."