This activity should take you about 25 – 30 minutes to complete.
Post your answers to questions 2 and 4 in the discussion forum. Also, read answers posted by peers into that forum.
Social problems include,voter apathy,social unrest,mistrust of government leaders, isolation,disengagement from community and feeling excluded.
Regions with highest youth unemployment rates: MENA and North America
Regions with lowest youth unemployment rates : South East Asia a
nd Sub Saharan Africa
So, is there any way that hope can be revived in young people in your country? Who should play a role in restoring such hope and how should they do it?
Government and other stakeholders like the community,NGOs ,the church can work in partnership to create national service centres where life skills ,and other training can be given to youths for them to sustain themselves. This can be helpful for street children who are on the rise.
The government is providing bursaries for youth skills training through use of constituency development funds.
The youth are forgotten during serious involvement with the society due to their unemployment status and also age.
Africa and Sub Saharan Africa have high unemployment rate due to higher percentage with comparative population. Mena on the other hand has lower unemployment rate
2.Some of the social and economic problems of youth unemployment include; youths facing social mobility and opportunity gaps, young people facing financial hardship and breakdown, mental health issues and increased crime and risky behaviors.
4. The highest youth unemployment rate recorded were Mena-26.8% and North America-18.48%.
The lowest unemployment rate was from the countries -South East Asia 10.8% and Sub-Saharan Africa 15.71%.
From this we can see that youth unemployment has far reaching social and economic consequences that can create long-lasting disadvantages that leads to poverty and even inequality if not addressed effectively.
Some countries have lower youth unemployment rates due to favorable economic structures, there is introduction to education and training skills for youths causing more skills in the workforce. And government providing more job opportunities that can cater those who have also some basic skills to enter workforce.
Answer to Question 2:
The major social and economic problems of youth unemployment include but not limited to:
(i) Inability to contribute meaningfully to national development;
(ii) Lack of trust the political class
(iii) Civil Unrest (protests)
(iv) Inability to secure jobs on merit
(v) Poor political participation;
Answer to Question 4:
The two regions with highest unemployment rate are MENA (26.28%) and North America (18.48%); while the regions with the least unemployment rates are South East Asia (10.18%) and Sub-Saharan Africa (15.71%)
Answer to Question 5:
In Fiji, 14.9% of the youth population are unemployed.
It looks like you are doing very well in Fiji to keep the youth out of unemployment. As you will have seen form this Unit, youth unemployment in some countries is well over 30%. Would you like to share some of the strategies your government uses to secure employment for the youth?
I am from Nigeria, but used available information in the Chart provided on Fiji.
However, Fijians were given the second-chance education opportunities of getting out of NEETS through the following strategies as seen on pages 46 and 47 of text:
(i) Matua programme;
(ii) Marist Champagnat Institute (MCI);
(iii) Youth Training Centres (YTCs);
(iv) Youth Grant Programme;
(v) Mobile Skills Training; and
(vi) Seeds of Success.
These are strategies that minimised unemployment rates in Fiji.
You did well. that was good analysis.
1 Like
- What are the major social and economic problems of youth unemployment?
• Financial matters from parents
• Involve in crimes and drugs
• Civil unrest alcohol
4… Which two of the reported regions have the highest youth unemployment rates and which two have the lowest?
• Samoa and New Caledonia
Pacific Island Countries with very low youth unemployment rates are Solomon Islands (2.82%), Vanuatu (5.07%), Papua New Guinea (5.2%) and Australia (8.29%). Other countries outside the Pacific region with low youth unemployment rates are Cambodia (0.85%) and Thailand (4.47%).
Activity 3
- Read Case study 2 below to understand challenges faced by people with special needs (disabilities) when it comes to access to formal education.
• Discriminations and negative attitude among important obstacles which lead the special needs to less access to education.
• Insufficient provision of funds is the biggest issues which they not have equal shares of fund to access to education for students with disability. none of them sufficient to make and have available the full range of services needed for special needs (disabilities)
• Policies that are not written to include the disabilities with normal students to access educations.
They are, quite obviously, a very diverse group with very different challenges and as such difficult to serve with a one-size-fits-all-approach. - What policies are there in your country to mainstream young people with disabilities in education, training and employment?
• In My country of Solomon Islands, the ministry of education was able to endorse the policy called “Solomon Islands National Disability inclusive Policy”. This policy has been established in the year 2016 of March.
This policy has not so effective but schools manage to include the special needs student to access education. The problem here which this policy was not so effective because most teachers here in Solomon Islands do not leant or train on how to handle the special needs in the class so teachers also find it hard to teach the special needs. However, to improve such problem of mainstreaming of disabled people, training teachers should have also trained to control the behavior of these special needs, Government should provide a special institution of these special need so that they have freedom of their surroundings to learn in education. By doing that, these special needs can able to contribute in the countries economic development.
New approches are being pilotedto help young people with disabilities by addressing education gaps early. services work for disabled youth ( i.e ensure that they access to mainstream intermediation services and skills training.
Agreed with you @SCM
Problem is the most population group are not considered (youths) in return mistrust and social unrest part of the country social and economic issues…
For question 4 - The Kiribati Social Development Indicator Survey for 2018–2019, published by the
Kiribati National Statistics Office, states that 95 per cent of children in Kiribati attended the first grade of primary school in 2019. According to UNESCO Institute
for Statistics (UIS) data for 2017, the gross enrolment rate for primary education
was 101.3 and the net enrolment rate was 94.7 per cent (UNESCO Institute for
Statistics, 2020
1. Trend in Out-of‑School Children
In the country I examined (e.g. Fiji, based on the Commonwealth resource), the number of school-aged children not attending school has been steadily decreasing year over year. This downward trajectory is attributed to initiatives such as free tuition, transportation subsidies, and targeted rural outreach programs.
2. Youth Unemployment – Social & Economic Implications (Case Study Analysis)
Based on Case Study 1 (“Youth Lacking Opportunities”):
- Social problems:
• Disillusionment and disengagement—youth feel excluded from society, politics, and community life.
• Frustration and unrest—as seen during the Arab Spring, a lack of hope can lead to social instability and protests.
• Limited civic participation and decreased trust—youth abstain from voting or community involvement, weakening social cohesion. - Economic problems:
• High rates of NEET (Not in Employment, Education, or Training), limiting productivity and future workforce potential.
• Overqualified but unemployable—education quality is often misaligned with job-market needs, exacerbating unemployment even among educated youth.
• Poverty cycle—without income or training, youth remain economically marginalized, which can perpetuate intergenerational poverty.
3. Regional Youth Unemployment – Key Comparisons
From Table 2:
- Highest youth unemployment regions:
- MENA – 26.28%
- North America – 18.48% (slightly above Africa but less than Europe)
- Lowest youth unemployment regions:
- South East Asia – 10.18%
- Europe – 16.22% (higher than SEA but lowest among listed except SEA)
4. Youth NEET in Fiji
- In Fiji, as of 2023, 23.7% of youth (aged 15–24) are categorized as NEET Index Mundi+3FijiGlobalNews.com+3Reddit+3TheGlobalEconomy.com.
- The youth unemployment rate remains high, at 18.3%, indicating a significant portion who are actively seeking work but unable to find it Fiji Broadcasting Corporation+1Fiji Broadcasting Corporation+1.
Forum Posts
Analytical / Policy Focus
In Fiji, nearly one in four youth are sheltered in the NEET category—with 23.7% of 15–24 year‑olds neither in school nor working .
Youth unemployment is also high at 18.3% Reddit+7Fiji Broadcasting Corporation+7FijiGlobalNews.com+7.
This dual problem contributes to economic marginalization, skill atrophy, and civic disengagement—undermining social infrastructure. To reverse these trends, the government is expanding vocational training (especially green skills), implementing task‑forces to align education with labor market needs, and supporting entrepreneurship initiatives. These steps aim to reconnect youth with purposeful work and retain talent in the country.
Conversational / Human-Centered
Hey everyone, here in Fiji we’ve got a worrying situation—nearly 24% of our youth aren’t in school, at work, or in training. That’s a whole youth generation idle and vulnerable .
Many young people are stuck—not because they don’t want to work or learn, but because the right skills and jobs just aren’t available. The government is responding though: they’ve launched vocational programs focused on green jobs, are trying to match what schools teach with real jobs, and boosting youth entrepreneurship opportunities.
It’s great to see real efforts to put youth back on track, but there’s still a long road ahead.
1. Trend in Number of Out-of-School Children (Fiji)
The number of out-of-school children in Fiji has shown a gradual decline over the years. This trend reflects improvements in national education policies, such as the Free Education Grant, which removes tuition fees, and the school transport assistance scheme, which reduces geographical barriers. However, occasional fluctuations still exist, particularly in outer islands where access remains inconsistent.
2. Social and Economic Problems of Youth Unemployment (Based on Case Study)
Youth unemployment leads to both social instability and economic stagnation. Key issues include:
- Social Issues:
- Feelings of rejection and lack of purpose lead to mental health issues, depression, and social withdrawal.
- Marginalised youth may turn to risky behaviours or become involved in crime.
- A breakdown in trust between youth and government creates political apathy and disconnection from civic life.
- Economic Issues:
- Unemployment slows economic growth by wasting human capital.
- Many youth are trapped in the “experience paradox”—they need a job to gain experience, but can’t get hired without it.
- There is an overdependence on remittances, and low youth productivity increases the burden on public welfare systems.
3. Regions with Highest and Lowest Youth Unemployment Rates
According to Table 2:
- Highest Unemployment Rates:
- MENA (Middle East & North Africa) – 26.28%
- South America – 17.35%
- Lowest Unemployment Rates:
- South East Asia – 10.18%
- Europe – 16.22% (although higher than SEA, still among the lowest in this list)
4. NEET Rate in Fiji
In Fiji, a significant number of young people aged 15–24 fall into the NEET category (Not in Employment, Education, or Training). As of the latest available data, approximately 23–24% of youth in this age group are NEET. This is particularly concerning for rural and maritime areas, where access to education and job opportunities is limited. Many face long travel distances, lack of training institutions, and limited job creation.
5. Forum Posts
Informative and Factual
Fiji continues to struggle with youth NEET rates, with close to 24% of young people aged 15–24 not engaged in school, work, or training. This not only affects national productivity but also creates long-term social challenges. In response, the government has introduced technical and vocational training (TVET), expanded youth entrepreneurship grants, and provided transport subsidies. There’s also more emphasis on aligning education to job market needs. These efforts aim to ensure that no young Fijian is left behind.
Relatable and Reflective
As someone living in Fiji, it’s worrying to see that so many of our young people—nearly 1 in 4—aren’t in school, training, or work. A lot of them want to succeed but just don’t have the right support, especially in remote areas. The government has introduced vocational programs, youth hubs, and even funding for small business start-ups, which is great. But we also need more career counselling and pathways that show young people a way forward in life.