Decent Work and Economic Growth

(Marcello Rama Immanuel Risakotta - SMP Bali Kiddy)

“Money is not everything”. Ladies and gentlemen, as a secondary student, I sometimes
don’t understand that concept. Let's see, I want to buy a new laptop to support my education, I
need money to get it. I am hungry, of course I need to feed myself - there, I need money to buy
food. I searched articles on the internet, to help me understand my topic for today's speech; I
need internet data, I need money to buy it.
Ladies and gentlemen, I kept questioning myself with all that money, until at the end of
2023; I was hospitalized for 2 weeks. At the hospital, all I wanted was just to “GO BACK
HOME AND STAY HEALTHY”. The moment that changes me, a young teenager like me starts
believing that yes, money is not everything because health, time, good relationships, moments
with family, and many more; cannot be bought. However, I started realizing that yes, money is
important, and it is needed for our lives, but other factors such as I mentioned before are also
essential in bridging me toward economic growth, the things that I would like to deliver in my
speech today. Ladies and gentlemen, in the next 4 to 5 minutes, I am Marcello Rama from Bali
Kiddy Secondary. Today I would like to invite you to discuss the topic of decent work and
economic growth, where money is not the only thing we should be concerned about.
Before I get into this speech, I'm guessing some of you don't know what the definition of
economic growth is. Economic growth has traditionally been attributed to the accumulation of
human and physical capital and the increase in productivity and creation of new goods arising
from technological innovation. Increases in capital goods, labor force, technology, and human
capital can all contribute to economic growth. Economic growth started in the 1800s, due to the
increases of the factors I previously mentioned. And now what about decent work? The
International Labor Organization (ILO) defines decent work as “Productive work for men and
women in conditions of freedom, equity, security, and human dignity”.
Now that we know what economic growth is, how do we achieve it? “The government is
not the generator of economic growth; the working people are”, That was a quote by Phil
Gramm. It proves work is the most important aspect for economic growth, and to achieve that is
to having more entrepreneurs in your country. Entrepreneurs boost economic growth by
introducing new innovative technology, products and services. Entrepreneurs also provide many
job opportunities in the short and long term.
 Now, some of us teenagers here may think we are too young to contribute to the
economy, well that is in fact wrong. There are many ways for teenagers like us to contribute to
the economic development. We can start businesses, innovate new products, engage in social
entrepreneurship and more. This is why topics like entrepreneurship should be exposed a lot
more to the younger generation, added to our education.
Relating to the sector of education, entrepreneurship, if learned by students in school, can
help them to identify problems and solutions to new experiences and unforeseen outcomes.
Therefore, entrepreneurship isn't only useful for students who dream of being entrepreneurs, it
can help other students develop critical thinking skills.
Schools can make assignments for students involving entrepreneurship. For example,
making an imaginary business or innovating new products. Schools can also make clubs or
extracurricular activities for students who want a deeper understanding of entrepreneurship.
Embracing things like leadership skills, managing risks, and problem-solving mindsets around
the school environment can help students to build an entrepreneurial personality.
Ladies and gentlemen, having a business, being an entrepreneur, and earning money are
important for economic growth - but they are not the only things to concern. You may work but
don't force yourself to work too hard with no rest. Imagine yourself as a machine, even machines
sometimes break down and stop working. Even machines need to take breaks, so why don't we?
Economic growth can only be reached when money and human resources, with the rich health
bar, of the humans are good. Therefore, stop only focusing on the number only, you also need to
consider yourself as the main instrument of your business as well.
The conclusion is, economic growth and decent work is fundamental for a country. By us
working together, we can create a future where everyone has the opportunity to fulfill their
potential and contribute to the development of our country. My name is Marcello Rama from
Bali Kiddy Secondary, and I invite you to commit ourselves to the economic development and
build a world where we can all live happily. Thank you for listening.

References:
1. www.ilo.org/global/topics/decent-work/lang-en/index.htm

2. https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/explainers/economic-growth.htm

3. https://www.coursera.org/articles/what-is-entrepreneurship?.htm