The State of Education in Nigeria
The world is changing. It seems what students study in school, and grades scored is no longer a big deal. The certificate seems irrelevant after graduation. It’s disheartening to spend your large chunk of hard-earned money on school and employer offering you a bizarre salary package that doesn’t compliment your effort. It’s easy to understand why employers would pay you more if you learned some useful stuff, but why would they pay you so much extra for stuff you’re never going to use?
Most of the things we learn in school is not needed in the labour market.
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We see education as the only way of solving our problems, yet graduates are roaming the streets doing nothing after going through a lot of stress to become a graduate.
I love education but the state of education in this country is not encouraging. Why would I spend 4 – 7 years in school and there is nothing to show for it.
They said Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits but the reverse is the case in a country like Nigeria.
My question – Is Education a Waste?
Education is the best legacy parents can give to their children. Seeing graduates turn Okada rider, Bet9ja vendor, Cyber fraud – Yahoo Yahoo, and many more, grieves my heart.
Often times I do ask myself, what does the future hold for the youths in this country?
They said – we are the “leaders of tomorrow”, but as far as I can see, there is no sign. The leaders of tomorrow are yet to be born.
The strength of every country is in the hands of the youths. Likewise, I would say – the downfall of a country is in the hands of the youth.
I stumbled on a friend of mine who struggled to finish school. When I asked him about work, I was shocked when he told me he’s into buying and selling foodstuffs.
He said he regretted going to school. Perhaps, if he had known then, he wouldn’t have gone to school. He would have invested the money into business. After all, what he learned in school wasn’t needed in the labour market. I don’t blame him. Many youths out there believe in getting a lucrative job after completing their NYSC Program. The wise ones will follow a different path.
I think it’s time for every Nigerian to wake up. I’m not disputing the fact that education is bad, but what’s the essence of going through the stress of learning, and at the end of it all, you can’t practice what you’ve learned.
More than 70 percent of the nation’s graduates said their certificates are not relevant to their jobs. I don’t blame them for this.
Job hunting these days is now down to connection.
If you are well connected, it’s easier to get a job. Must I be connected before I get a job? It says a lot about our educational system.
I do tell my friends that I don’t think education is more important, but in our country, you must just try to lay your hands on at least a certificate should in case the future calls for it.
Why am I saying all this?
I’m not against education and I’d never be against it. In fact, I am also the academician type. To me, the only advantage of a degree is – it shows you have undergone a formal education. Anything else, it is either luck or connection. Also employers value formal education. So it has a value in the job market.
Conclusion
I want youths to realize that they should lay their hands on something else while they are still studying. Learn some digital skills as the world is running at the fastest pace. We are getting to the era of certificates becoming less effective. All that matters now is – “what can you do”.
Youths, it’s time to discover yourself but my question is – “What can you do?“