Education

I appreciate the fact that education has made me value the knowledge I have. There is some popular proverbs and quotes that all point to the fact that education is a necessity; such as "knowledge is power", "education is the key to success", "if you don't read, you will be RED", "there is power in the pen". Before I go further, I have some questions, such as what is education? Is it simply "to read and write" or "to have attended a school or passed through a schooling system"?

Great philosophers like Socrates who said "man know thyself", knew that you need to be educated. In various nations of the world, illiteracy has caved in deep into the fabric of the citizenry, even in developed nations. Currently in the UK, more British ladies attend universities than British men. What is the reason for this? Why do we see such a trend in a developed economy?

I will digress a bit, and state some facts about the education system in Nigeria, being able to attend a private university (Madonna University Okija) and three different federal universities (University of Calabar, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, and University of Ibadan) and a Federal College of Education (FCE Okene), and comparing with the University system in the UK, with my experience attending a top 10 UK institution (Lancaster University).

Basically, Nigeria being the giant of Africa with a population of over 170 million, and over 100 universities uses a basic structure of 6-3-3-4, which was adopted partly from Britain. Nigeria is made up of federal universities, state universities and private universities. We also have polytechnics, and colleges of education, as part of the tertiary education system, but basically you need a Bachelor's Degree (B.Eng, B.Tech, B.Sc, B.Ed) or a HND (Higher National Diploma) or a Masters degree (M.A, MSc, MTech, MEng) before you can do a national service called NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) for 12 months.

To me, education is very important because it enables the society to be stable, well informed, and basically helps to train the youth in capacity building. These may not be so true in developing nations like Nigeria, where we have alot of infrastrustructural decadence and systemic failure. Thus, I will leave you now with the following thoughts and questions:

What is Education to you and I?

What is the need for Education?

Is it merely to learn how to count in numbers or "ALL" about the ability to read and write in English?

Have you noticed that one has to pass English and Maths with a Credit before gaining admission into the University irrespective of the course of study?

What happens to our indigenous languages - Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Ebira, Igala, Benin and Ibibio? Can't we make it an international language?

What is the Modern Philosophy of Education for Primary and Secondary schools, or better still, how has the objectives of the Modern Philosophy of Education been achieved?

Well, I will return to this issue later, but then what about the University education. What is the value of University education? Is it worth the time and money that goes into it?

What makes one an "illiterate" and the other an "educated" man?

Why do parents see only a few courses as the main ones called the top 4, and the rest as not great? Is it by virtue of of being a graduate of Law, Medicine and Surgery, or Engineering?

Why should a parent bad-mouth a student for having a carryover in a course or failing a course?

Why should a student commit suicide for failing a course or not graduating with a desired degree result?

Why will a graduate, a so-called "educated" man still depend on his family after graduation? Is University education really worth the time and money accorded to it?

What do you think is the idea of a university education? Even bribery and corruption in the name of "sorting"?

Why will the female students and ladies be coerced or 'forced' by lecturers to sleep with them for better grades?

What do you think about the education system in our country?

Though the system seemed to have failed but the fact remains that it's intended to better equip young men and women that will stand out in their respective fields. Unfortunately, educators are after their pockets, while most parents have failed in their responsibilities.

It is, however, disheartening, that students aren't even ready to learn, as they prefer "short cuts". It has been shown by research that students learn better when their native language is used in teaching and learning process. Since change is the watchword of the present administration, let's hope that education sector will be looked into for the needed change.

Some people choose not to blame our academic system. that the problem is you and I. Even if when we are done with our academics, how many of us still rattle very well in our indigenous languages amidst our peers. Most people cannot speak fluently in their first languages too or indigenous languages, if not English, as they mix it up, but is it worthwhile?

If we who have passed out from the educational system, and you can speak your indigenous language or present in your language, the young ones following will be encouraged to speak. Some others view it not in one passing through a university but concerned about the number of years attached to the courses.

For instance, a young man studying a course for six (6) years and on graduation will still be looking for job and might end up becoming a business man. whereas there is one (1) young business man since six (6) years ago in Ariaria International Market, Aba or Onitsha Main Market who is already established. It is a fact and yet very funny, but what can we say?

If you graduate and you do not have someone that will recommend you for a job, you are left at the mercy of various interviews and test centres for a recruitment, which also costs you some money and time for transportation and for application in some cases, with risks involved, such as the Nigeria Immigration Service Job Recruitment excercise some years back that led to fatalities.

Where are we heading? What is the way forward? The good news is, there is hope!