rantingpohonku

In a country rich with natural resources, cultural diversity, and a youthful population full of potential, why does Indonesia continue to fail its graduates?

Every year, thousands of students walk proudly across graduation stages with bachelor’s degrees in hand—symbols of years of hard work, sacrifice, and hope. Yet many of these bright minds are left stranded in the shadow of unemployment, ignored by a system that promised opportunity but delivered silence.

This is not just a personal issue—it is a national failure.

Education Without Employment is a Betrayal

The Indonesian government has encouraged education through various programs and campaigns. But what good is a degree if there are no jobs? How can a country celebrate educational growth while its graduates roam the streets, applying for jobs that never come?

In many European countries, a bachelor’s degree holds weight. It opens doors. Governments and private sectors coordinate to ensure that educated citizens contribute meaningfully to the economy. In Indonesia, however, many graduates are met with the cold reality that their qualifications are not enough. Nepotism, bureaucratic hiring, and the lack of structured employment pipelines crush dreams before they can even begin.

Why Are We Overlooked in Our Own Country?

Let’s be honest. If you’re not part of the elite, or you lack connections in high places, your degree often ends up being nothing more than a decorative certificate. This is the harsh truth that many Indonesian youths experience.

We were told, “Study hard, and your future will be bright.” But where are the results? Where are the job opportunities? Where is the justice for those who followed the rules, only to be left behind?

Meanwhile, foreign workers find placement, politicians continue their cycles of corruption, and the public sector bloats with inefficiency—yet our most promising minds remain unemployed.

We Demand Change, Not Promises

This is a call—not just a complaint. We demand a clear and transparent employment system for graduates. We demand the government to:

• Create real and accessible job programs tied to university graduation.
• Enforce merit-based hiring practices free of favoritism and corruption.
• Encourage local entrepreneurship with actual funding, not just ceremonial talk.
• Integrate education with market demands so that degrees are relevant to real jobs.
• Stop ignoring the youth who will shape this nation’s future.

Indonesia is not poor in talent—it is poor in vision and will. Other countries invest in their graduates. Indonesia needs to do the same or face a worsening brain drain, economic stagnation, and social unrest.

To Our Leaders: Stop Turning a Blind Eye

This article is not meant to destroy, but to awaken. Our voices are rising not out of hate, but out of disappointment and urgency. We believe in Indonesia, but we are tired of believing in a government that no longer believes in us.

We are not lazy. We are not entitled. We are educated Indonesians who deserve the chance to contribute. The time for empty words is over. The time for systemic reform is now.