We are mostly told that education is the process of
acquiring knowledge for our empowerment, and this knowledge is the master key
to success, which is true to a certain extent but not in entirety.
In our part of the world (Africa), you would agree with me
that most of the knowledge acquired in school amounts to nothing after one
graduates.
Melodious is the praises sang about education and school.
You are considered importuned, less privileged and a failure if you do not
receive any formal education in this part of the world but wait, is that really
the case? Are all the praises worth singing?
People are made to believe that without formal education and
a certificate it’s impossible to live a good life hence, everyone is expected
to follow the same procedure to acquire knowledge.
That is go to school, sit in a classroom or lecture hall,
and pay attention to your tutor and take notes. You are then assessed by way of
assignments, quizzes, and the almighty EXAMINATION, the enemy of every student.
It matters not the method of learning used, you just have to pass.
In fact, you don’t need to learn. If you can pass your exams
at the end of the day, hurray, you’re a genius! What’s sadder is that it matters
not whether the subject you’re studying is directly related to your career
path, if you fail you’re doomed. Pass by all means, even if it means you’re
never going to apply it in any way.
Anyone who fails to successfully go through this process is
considered uneducated and useless to society. But is this true? Is it supposed
to be this way?
Education can be classified as formal, informal, and
non-formal.
Oh, so informal and non-formal education are also considered
as forms of education? Then why are we being brainwashed into thinking formal
education is the only way out?
Why must we all be in the classroom learning the same thing
when we were born with different gifts and talents?
This is something that is going on in most of our Countries.
Everyone who wants to be educated must follow the same path, learn the same
things, and answer the same questions.
What happened to the popular African adage “All fingers are
not the same?”
Every individual has different potentials and following the
same path to become successful makes it just stressful and makes it difficult to
be able to reach our various destinations.
Education may be the key but school seems to be a lock that
imprisons us all in a box, forcing us to think and act alike.
Education is supposed to unlock our potentials, not imprison
our gifts.
Education is supposed to empower us and give us the
self-confidence to chase our dreams and not just train us to be loyal, efficient,
and effective employees working for monthly stipends.
I am not against school, but if it is not helping the
individual to think outside the box, then it has failed in achieving its
purpose.
Educate yourself by all means, be it formal or informal, but
rather than following is a set of rules, use the knowledge acquired to create
your own path in life.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
Richard Branson, John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford, Roman
Abramovich, Joe Lewis, Carl Lindner are all famous billionaires who have
rewritten history and immortalized their names. These influential people all
dropped out of school at an early age to follow their dreams. Now tell me, is
education as we know it the only guarantee to a successful life?
Writer: Vicky Oblie
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