There are about five groups of people reading this in respect to the choice of course studied or currently studying in their respective universities of graduation or to be graduated from.
- The #first_group is the group of "I studied what I studied because my dad, mum or guardian chose the course for me when filling my jamb form (and in some cases Forced)".
Such folks most times end up regretting why they did the course in the first place, barely manage to make average results and in very rare cases, such folks graduate with distinction or happy with the course itself.
- The #second_group is the group of "I studied what I studied because my friend(s) picked the course when filling their jamb forms, coupled with the fact that it's a very popular course so I decided to go for it as well.
Most times, this group of people as well end up realizing that the chosen course is not in line with their real interest and potentials. As time goes on, such people barely manage to put up avarge performances in their results and in extreme cases record distinction(s) in their grade(s).
- The #third_group is the group of "am not sure of my precise interest so I choose what I THINK I can cope with".
This group of people are usually the most popular and populous among the five listed
groups.
In all honesty, such people wish they could follow their passion and interest but the problem is that they can't figure out what their passion is nor where it lies as such, they're often left with going the option of going for anything that comes their way when presented with an array of courses to choose from.
They usually have average and below average performances in their respective courses of study primarily, due to the fact that they find themselves where their interest is not in.
-The #fourth_group is the second most populous, which is the group of "I applied Medicine, they (University, Polytechnic, COE) gave me Biology Science; I applied for Law and they gave me Mass-com to study".
This group of people are victims of the stated circumstance due to their grades which may either not meet up with the School's cut-off mark for the applied course or even that the grade meets with the cut-off mark but due to limited space for admission into such course and very high number of applicants for such course, the unlucky ones had to be diverted to other less applied departments.
This group of people usually have better average performances in their grades and a good number of distinction but such students in most cases do have little or no conviction in what they studied, even after achieving good grades.
-The #fifth_group is the group with the least number of members. This particular group have members who're graced to have a clear mind, desire, passion and plan for the course they desire to study right from their youthful age.
They're often lucky to have good mentors around them as family, guardian(s), friends, good elementary and secondary school environment to help support and guide them in their choice of chosen career which in turn aids such individual in having a path with limited challenges in his/her career path, and most importantl, having full conviction and fulfillment in the course of study which reflectsin the individual's laudable grades.
The various above highlighted groups reflects why most Nigerian youths are either Unemployed, Unemployable or unhappy with their present jobs.
Furthermore, it shows why a good number of students in tertiary schools have poor results to the point of having extra years in their respective courses of study.
Issues like drug abuse, sexual exploitation of female students by male lecturers so as to get good grades, cultism, emotional & psychological trauma from unhealthy academic pressure, suicide due to mental pressure from academic obligations and the likes are some of the consequences of a formal education system in which due attention is not given to guiding individuals in respect to their choice of course to study in respect to their potentials, interest and talent.
Ideally, it ought to be that from the elementary classes, provision should be made for students' interests within the academic atmosphere so that a child can be assisted to discover him/herself's potentials, guide him/her to where he/she belongs within the academic taxonomic setting, supported with the relevant materials to explore his or her potentials to the fullest, as well as freedom to make mistakes for improvement through realised self weaknesses.
In addition to the school's obligations in students' interest discovery (particularly at the primary and secondary stages), schools should provide good counselling service to its students by putting in place a functioning and responsive counselling section in its schooling system which will help correct, detect as well as guide students within the school system in respect to their potentials, interest and socceital needs in skills.
At this juncture, it's also of utmost importance to mention the responsibilitiesof parents in child discovery as well as the bad custom of pressuring child(ren) into a particular career path without considering the interest and potential(s) of such child(ren).
Parents should primarily be watchers and guiders of their children's lives and not pressurers due to personal desires or wish to meet societal expectations via the kind of children they raise.
Children are of different potentials as such, the only way for such child to attain life success is to be fulfilled in his/her endeavor(s) which can only happen when such child is happy exploring his/her potentials irrespective of how unpopular or financially rewarding the child's self chosen career path may be.
I mean if a practising medical doctor can commit suicide by jumping into a large water body in Lagos State, some retired bank managers telling you that they have unfulfilled career life when retired and the likes, then it shows that life's success is not determined by how celebrated a course of study is (like the often prioritised Medicine, Engineering, Law above others) but rather, how fulfilled you are doing what you are destined to do in your career path.
Just imagine the disaster if Lionel Messi was a Bank manager, Cristiano Ronaldo was a Medical doctor and Steven Spielberg a Lawyer, do you think they would have been as successful in their present career path? Definitely a No!
So when these things are taken care of from the foundation (elementary and secondary schools), you'll discover that the poor intellectual and academical performances in tertiary schools would minimize drastically and graduates of tertiary institutions in the country would see more meaning to education than just a certificate to earn a comfortable source of livelihood, and a life worthy of being happy and not just surviving in.
However, students at particularly secondary and university levels who feel confused and frustrated as regards to finding their passion and interest in respect to their academic line, it's never too late to make the necessary corrections depending on your problem, even if it means you have to quit your present path for that which you think you have more interest in or simply quit to startover with a better attitude, all that matters is you making success at your parents pace with your in-born style.
We must always remember that the term "success" is relative as such, shouldn't be limited to a particular criterion because the beauty of humanity lies in its diversity in race, colour, size, height and individual POTENTIALS which are all needed for the progress of the universe.
I conclude by saying that we're all differently special, as such everyone deserves the right to being provided with a conducive atmosphere to explore and express his unique difference at his/her own pace.
