What make's the country grow?

The Unseen Struggle:Education, Unemployment, and the Quest for a Nation’s Promise

Jose Rizal’s belief that the youth is the hope of the fatherland remains deeply
important today but its meaning needs to be reconsidered. Hope should not depend
solely on earning degrees. It must grow in communities that appreciate the value
each person brings. Unemployment is not just an individual problem it reflects a
failure of education systems the economy and society as a whole to fulfill their
roles. By improving these areas we honor people and make sure no one is left
wondering what their efforts were for. When jobs help people improve their lives
communities become stronger hunger decreases and education achieves its true
purpose which is to empower rather than exclude. Only then can Rizal’s vision of a
nation where everyone belongs truly come to life.
Today this hopeful ideal meets a difficult reality. Thousands of graduates who
have worked hard and sacrificed much find themselves facing unemployment or jobs
that do not match their training. At the same time those who did not graduate
encounter even greater challenges in finding stability. This situation is not only
an economic problem but also a moral failure to live up to Rizal’s vision. When
society praises education as a guaranteed path to success but does not provide
opportunities for everyone it leaves behind its most vulnerable members.Meaningful
changes in the system fair job opportunities and a cultural move toward inclusion
are necessary to recognize the potential of every person whether they have
graduated or not and to make Rizal’s vision of a prosperous nation come true.
Rizal believed that education was a way to gain freedom because of the
struggles people faced in his time. Back in the late 1800s, colonial rule made it
very hard for Filipinos to go to school, so getting an education was almost like a
form of rebellion. Today many people see degrees as a way to move up in life.
Families save money to pay for tuition students stay up late studying and
communities come together to celebrate graduations as major achievements. A diploma
is often seen as a promise that if you work hard you will find a good job take care
of your family and help your community grow.
For many people this promise breaks apart as soon as they graduate. Take Maria
for example she is a 24-year-old biology graduate from a small university in the
countryside of the Philippines. Even though she wrote an impressive thesis on
protecting marine life she spends her days sending job applications for office work
in Manila where hundreds of others are competing for the same positions. After six
months she takes a low-paying clerical job that has nothing to do with what she
studied. Maria’s story is far from unique. In the Philippines nearly one in five
young people between 15 and 24 years old were unemployed which is three times
higher than the average for the whole country. The emotional impact is deep.
Society makes this shame worse by asking why study if you cannot find a job. This
kind of blame ignores the bigger problems in the system and unfairly puts the fault
on individuals for things they cannot control
Many young people who didn’t finish school face even harder challenges than
those who did.They work long hours every day, doing everything they can to keep
their loved ones going. Even with all that effort and responsibility, people often
see them as “unskilled” just because they don’t have a diploma. In many
communities, nearly four out of ten young people don’t finish high school, often
because of poverty, illness, or the need to care for family members. Still, society
tends to judge them only by their education, missing the strength, creativity, and
determination they show every single day.
Unemployment is more than just losing a job because it affects people’s hearts
and spirits deeply especially new graduates who feel lost and burdened caught
between being overqualified yet inexperienced. This struggle can lead to
loneliness, depression and a sense of failure that isolates them from their
communities. At the same time, those without formal education face their own
challenges creating rifts that weaken the bonds between people. When talented
individuals cannot find work, the country loses out on fresh ideas and growth and
many are forced to leave home taking with them the care and support their families
rely on. Finding real solutions means more than financial fixes because it means
healing people’s hopes and rebuilding the connections that make communities strong
and hopeful for the future.
Building a better future means making sure everyone has a fair shot. Schools
need to teach skills that actually help people find work, and there should be
chances to learn new things at any age. Governments and companies have to create
real jobs and treat everyone fairly when hiring, even those without degrees.
Helping small businesses grow can also make a big difference in communities. When
we come together like this, we create a place where everyone can succeed and feel
valued.
A country grows when its people can thrive not just by having jobs, but by
having meaningful opportunities that match their skills and ambitions. It’s about
nurturing talent through education and training, so farmers, teachers, engineers,
and artists alike can contribute to society. Innovation plays a role too, whether
it’s a small business adopting new tools or a tech startup creating jobs.
Supportive policies, like fair wages and investments in healthcare or
infrastructure, help communities flourish. Growth isn’t just numbers on a
spreadsheet; it’s people building better lives, collaborating, and passing on
opportunities to the next generation.
High employment is a cornerstone of societal well-being and economic stability,
as it ensures that individuals can meet their basic needs, contribute to their
communities, and invest in their futures. When most people have jobs, poverty rates
decline, reducing reliance on social welfare systems and fostering financial
independence. Employment generates income that circulates through the economy,
boosting consumer spending, supporting local businesses, and funding public
services like healthcare and education through taxes. Beyond economics, work
provides individuals with dignity, purpose, and a sense of belonging, which
strengthens mental health and social cohesion. High employment also mitigates
inequality by narrowing gaps between socioeconomic groups, as marginalized
populations including youth, women, and those without formal education gain access
to opportunities that allow them to thrive. Societies with robust employment rates
tend to experience lower crime rates, greater civic engagement, and stronger family
structures, as stable incomes reduce stress and enable parents to support their
children’s development. Moreover, when people are employed in roles that align with
their skills and passions, innovation flourishes, industries grow sustainably, and
communities become more resilient to crises like recessions or pandemics.
Ultimately, high employment is not just about filling jobs,it’s about creating a
society where everyone can participate meaningfully, share in collective progress,
and build a future where no one is left behind.
As the Philippines and numerous other nations confront profound inequality,
unemployment, and an expanding disparity between education and employment
opportunities, it becomes imperative to reassess the notion of progress.
Conventional indicators, such as GDP growth and foreign investment, fail to
encompass the comprehensive reality of a flourishing society. True national
advancement occurs when all citizens, whether degree holders or manual laborers,
can live with dignity, contribute meaningfully, and feel valued. Achieving this
necessitates dismantling systems that reduce human worth to mere credentials or
capital and fostering communities founded on empathy, inclusion, and shared
purpose.
Historically, governments have equated progress with economic metrics and
large-scale infrastructure projects. However, these measures often obscure the
persistent hardships faced by millions living in poverty or lacking stable
employment. For instance, despite notable economic growth in the Philippines in
recent years, a significant portion of the population remains below the poverty
line. This disparity demonstrates that growth excluding marginalized groups
constitutes exploitation rather than genuine progress.
Authentic advancement is realized when every individual has equitable access
to opportunities for success. Consider the farmer who sustains the nation yet earns
insufficient income or the teacher who shapes future generations while enduring
financial hardship. Prioritizing profit over people undermines social cohesion,
underscoring the need to adopt dignity as a primary metric of success rather than
solely economic data.
Jose Rizal regarded education as a means of liberation from oppression. Today,
while education remains vital, the challenges have evolved. Educational
institutions frequently produce graduates unable to secure employment commensurate
with their qualifications. Numerous young individuals face this predicament, often
taking jobs unrelated to their fields of study. Addressing this issue requires an
evolution of education systems. Vocational training, apprenticeships, and lifelong
learning initiatives can bridge the gap between academic instruction and practical
skills. Countries such as Germany and Finland exemplify effective preparation of
students for the workforce by integrating experiential learning with creative
thinking.
A strong society looks after its most vulnerable members. Caregivers, domestic
workers, and informal laborers may often be overlooked, but they play a vital role
in holding communities together. These people deserve fair pay, respect, and
protection. Countries like Costa Rica have shown that choosing to spend more on
education and healthcare instead of the military leads to better health and less
poverty. Portugal’s way of helping people with drug addiction through support
rather than punishment has helped heal communities and reduce homelessness. These
stories show that putting people first is the key to a healthy society.
Rizal dreamed of a nation where everyone feels they belong. To make this
happen, institutions need to change so that all workers, whether farmers,
engineers, or street vendors, know their work matters. Society must stop believing
that only those with degrees can succeed and begin to appreciate many kinds of
talents. Japan honors master craftsmen, and Bhutan measures success by happiness
instead of money. These examples remind us that real progress is about well-being,
creativity, and community.
In the end, progress is not just a number. It is the farmer who earns a fair
wage, the graduate who finds a job they love, and the entrepreneur who creates work
for others. It is parents watching their children grow up healthy and hopeful. True
growth means building a society where everyone takes part, contributes, and no one
is left behind.
In the end a strong and caring society is one where every person feels valued
and knows their role matters. It is not just about numbers or status but about
making sure people live with dignity and have the chance to grow When we support
those who need it most celebrate all kinds of talents and create opportunities for
everyone real progress happens This kind of growth brings hope and belonging to all
making sure no one is left behind or forgotten and it is this unity and inclusion
that truly makes a country grow