Nigeria just turned 57 few days ago, wow! We've come a long way as a country; despite the hurdles we are still standing strong.
The world is changing rapidly, most things that people couldn't do without are now obsolete. One of those things I'd like to consider is the current educational system.
The Nigerian educational system churns out millions of graduates every year. Question is; are these graduates really relevant in this Era?
A lot of people would say yes. Hmmm, everyone has a right to an opinion, so, I don't bother arguing with them. But take a look around, pick up national dailies what do you see.
Well, I'd tell you; you'd see unemployed graduates loitering our streets. Most of them trying to find their way; going job hunting, a couple of them with good degrees expecting the jobs to fall on their laps.
My parents used to shout at me anytime I was being lazy with my school work, "If you don't study hard and get good grades how would you get a good job". That mantra is obsolete too. Our educational system prepares us for the life of an employee; always the employee.
I'm not saying that's bad, but the question is; where are the jobs. If there are no jobs, how can there be employees. The number of available jobs in the country today cannot absorb the massive number of graduates from the school system.
The old ones are holding on to their jobs tightly; they are not creating opportunity for the fresh bloods.
The current educational system was built for the industrial era; where as you come out from school, there is a job waiting for you at one of the industries, with retirement benefit, medical insurance and a lot of other fringe benefits.
The industrial era ended some decades ago; we are now in the computer era, what some people would call the Information Age.
Things are not what they used to be. Many people are living in the past; holding on or rather clinging on to the past, especially parents.
A lot of folks wish things would go back to be as they where. Well, sorry to burst their bubble, it won't. We need to move on; keep abreast with the rest of the world. This has sunk into the head of a couple of Nigerian youth; they are going with trend.
I did a seminar the other day at the university of uyo, I asked the students
If we have two students, one studying hard so he could pass with good grades to work in Google and the other one is studying so hard so he could learn everything he needed to know so he could buy up Google, do you think they'll be studying the same thing?
They can't possibly be studying the same thing. It's high time students starts thinking outside the box. Think big, be big enough to help other people.
There's nothing wrong about thinking big, but if you try to be bigger than someone else, it might lead you to do anything to bring that person down, rather you should be thinking of how to be bigger than your past.
Entrepreneurship has been on the rise for over a decade now. Youths are riding on the wings of this Information Age to success.
The school system didn't make them successful; most of them had long dropped their degrees, to pursue something worth pursuing. They believed in self development.
Most, if not all of them were not at the top of their classes like me, some were really bad students, others, drop outs. But that didn't mean they were failures. The educational system did not define them; they defined themselves.
The first class students; the ones who graduated at the top of their class in an obsolete educational system are still trying to find relevance in the society.
It will take years for the Nigerian educational system to change.
While waiting for that change, why don't you change yourself. Move ahead if the crowd, Observe the trends, go to YouTube and study more to position yourself by acquiring relevant skills.
My name is Samuel Joseph (
