I would say K-12 education and unemployment are different issues here, do you agree with that? For the latter that's another story and I agree it's more complicated.
Sure, I'm really saying that it's fine to be K-12 educated but it doesn't seem to be translating into further educational opportunities for most people. They often don't go from K-12 to university, rather they go into some not great job and never get such opportunities. Same happens in the West of course, just to a lesser degree.