China: a nation in motion. This is how they teach their primary school kids woodwork and broad making things. How do you compete against this nation? We must understand that in the last ten centuries, China has ruled the world economy in at least 7 of them. Also, in primary and secondary school education, China does better than most ‘advanced’ countries.
Yes, the literacy rate in China is 99.8% (out of every 100 people above the age of 15, at least 99 of them can read and write). (In the US, it is 79%; UK is 99%; Nigeria is 77.62%).
Surprised? Do not. In China, they don’t really care that much about tertiary education (the university level). What happens is that they put the best money in basic education, making it available and accessible. If you want to go to university, you pay. That strategy means that few attend universities but China has a solid workforce for anything as they’re greatly educated at the foundational level.
Tekedia Mini-MBA edition 16 (Feb 10 – May 3, 2025) opens registrations; register today for early bird discounts.
Tekedia AI in Business Masterclass opens registrations here.
Join Tekedia Capital Syndicate and invest in Africa’s finest startups here.
Contrast with Nigeria where we have no money for basic education even as we put most of the limited funds in the universities (sure, not enough I must note though). On that model, the primary school teacher goes with $30 per month and you expect him or her to prepare the kids for the future!
Comment on Feed
Comment 1: We must understand that education is a process of catching them young, building up cognitive minds and making them solutions providers rather than solutions consumers.
Comment 1R: I approve this comment. Once you miss the plot at that early stage, you have pretty much lost it forever. You don’t learn discipline and commitment as adults, they must come earlier.
Comment 2: Notice how seriously they took the task? They didn’t even notice that a camera was on. Bring a camera here, and kids will focus on the camera and not the task anymore.
It is obvious that we have remained distracted from childhood, our lack of focus and lasting commitment has always been a constant feature.
It is not about giving examples with exceptions and minority, but what is the prevailing situation with the majority? There you find all the answers you need.
Our feet need to be firmly on the ground, right now they are shaking.
Comment 3: True Word Ndubuisi! I just got back from attending a China Africa Culture and Tourism forum in Jinhua City, China. It’s not Shanghai or Beijing, yet boasts of world class infrastructure and a work force that’s passionate and committed to whatever they’re doing.
They are not considered illiterate for not speaking English ( had to check the Mandarin word for Tea when I asked for it at breakfast!) – Local language literacy and vocational skills training in our local languages is something Nigeria needs to take on board.
Comment 4: “You expect him or her to prepare the kids for the future?” While they watch government officials squander resources.
And Inflation is no friend of the people. Inflation favours people with assets not people living on $30 per month which is sometimes delayed ?
Dey play
The only way that sector can survive is when you have the best minds there. Sadly the best minds are not. Because they watched the generation before them sacrifice in vain.
Comment 5: China is on another level. Even United States is breathing hard to catch up with them. Interestingly, there is nothing China has done to push themselves to the front burner of world economy that we don’t know about. The difference between China and Nigeria is leadership and the leadership’s guts to take positive action in the genuine interest of the country while setting aside personal interests. That’s all. All wealth holders in China could be traced to doing something entreprising. That is not the case in Nigeria.
In Nigeria, you see multi millionaires and billionaires with no justifiable traceable enterprise. Ask them their enterprise, most will say GRACE OF GOD. And to add salt to injury, these men and women are given scarce police personnel and military men by the government to chaperone them everywhere. That is “impossicant” in China.
Insightful!
— Olanipekun Olanrewaju, FCA (@BENVOLIOS) December 10, 2023
---
Register for Tekedia Mini-MBA (Feb 10 - May 3, 2025), and join Prof Ndubuisi Ekekwe and our global faculty; click here.