It is an act of hypocrisy for the autorities to congratulate Youth Day in a country in which youth are a category that receives the smallest budget allocations, where there is no Federal or national youth ministry that makes us unique in this region, where over 50% of youth fit for work are unemployed, in a country from which 2/3 of youth wish to leave – where no one truly cares about youth issues?
“Away with them, if it suits them so, all they do is drink coffee all day long!” will be the common reply of the elders when asked on their opinion on youth leaving the country. That they are lazy, incompetent, that they don’t study, that they’re parasites at their parents’ expense – are the most common qualifications that are becoming frequent in our society. There is some truth in all that, but one should definitely consider things from a cause-effect perspective. Were the previous generations God’s gift to Earth which made them so hard-working and diligent, or was there a system that accepted and directed them?
There was indeed a system that educated them adequately, prepared them for employment, and then found jobs for them. Extracurricular activities, youth centres, sports clubs, etc. provided them with additional opportunities to develop. Students services provided them with opportunities to earn their allowances and cheap holidays and the parents were not required to eagerly expect their children to be employed “right after receiving their diplomas”, because they were economically stable. A well-based family structure, at least a lot more based than the present one, left no room for “youth side-tracking”, so that they had a pretty straight path. And today?
Let us start with the system. The system is not functioning: it provides no adequate education, nor does it provide job vacancies after the education. So, it is every youth for himself/herself! Extracurricular activities are perhaps tempting for primary school students, but in a society in which a teacher had completely lost the role of an educator and every authority those activities are neither interesting nor efficient. Youth centres no longer operate. There are a few left, arranged by the NGO sector, that fail to implement the few good ideas due to the minimal or, more often, completely lacking budget support. Sports clubs owe money. Millions. No more to be said on that topic. Students services reflect the geenral condition of the educational system. A weak offer. Finally, family is growing weaker and less influential and independent to provide a firm backing for a young person. In some families youth fail to see support and see only expectations.
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Why do they drink coffee? – Because soda is too expensive. Why are they lazy? – Because their country fails to award their efforts. They are incompetent to work? – Because the educational system was incompetent to teach them how. They do not study? – Because the labor market ridicules everything they learnt in schools. They are parasites at their parents’ expense? – Because they have no one else to turn to, and the country is no exception. |
Youth sometimes cause problems, but it is only because they have problems. They are to be invested in to be prolific. The older generations do not regard the BiH youth very highly. And they are no better themselves. When the older generations realise that the pensions will increase and the doctors will be kinder if there are more jobs for youth and when youth are encouraged to demand the authorities their rights, only then will things be better. And until then, it is best to remain silent on 12 August.
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