They say, “When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Maybe I didn’t get the saying exactly right, but that is beside the point.
One of the problems that has plagued our world for many years is poor leadership. I don’t want to say that all leaders are clueless because I believe there are still a few who genuinely want to make a difference. However, for one reason or another, many of them are unable to achieve the changes they desire.
Another unfortunate reality is that almost everyone seems to put personal interest above the interest of the nation. Many people think, “Once I get the opportunity, I’ll do whatever I can to enrich myself and embezzle as much as possible.” That is the kind of country we find ourselves in. The few people who genuinely want to turn things around are often persecuted, and when they cannot be manipulated, those in power find ways to silence them. It is a sad and frustrating system.
If you examine every sector, you will find corruption, nepotism, and bigotry almost everywhere. Sometimes I wonder when a child from an ordinary background will be able to rise and become somebody in our nation. This is one of the reasons many people travel abroad in search of a better future for themselves and their children.
Sometimes I wonder what kind of future awaits the generations yet to come when there is little or no planning for employment opportunities. We have only a few industries, and many of the workers in them are foreigners. Our educational system is also far from ideal because it focuses more on theory than on practical knowledge that can improve people’s lives.
What is the value of an education that cannot solve people’s problems? Why not focus more on technical and vocational education that provides practical solutions to our challenges? What is the use of an education that does not improve agricultural productivity through mechanised farming? Why do we have institutions of science that are not producing enough locally developed medicines, forcing us to depend heavily on foreign countries? Most of the products we use today are manufactured abroad. We have abundant raw materials, but we lack the skills, technology, and industrial capacity to transform those raw materials into finished goods. That is a major problem.
At the same time, many young people remain unemployed while vast areas of fertile land lie uncultivated. Not everyone will work in an office or become a government employee. Agriculture and entrepreneurship also provide opportunities for meaningful livelihoods.
Today, self-employment is becoming increasingly important, and we should encourage it. If more people are willing to start businesses, the government should create policies that support rather than frustrate them. There should also be incentives for business owners to help them grow and become sustainable before they are expected to compete on their own.
