By: Arc
Level: 2
(4 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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The educational system gets attacked on a daily basis; there are many who believe it is a real “stupid” system, a total waste of time. With everyone making money off being dumb/silly/stupid, the much publicized joke about the prize monies of talent hunt shows and that of cowbell mathematics competition, one begins to wonder—Is a 22 year academic journey worth it?
Inspirational speakers and entrepreneurs asking youths on a per hour basis to drop out of school, chase your dreams, delve into modelling, go play football, buy a beat box, dream big. When they are not asking youths to drop out they are encouraging them to gamble with their educational futures @ exchanging school fees for studio time or skipping classes.
The gospel they are spreading is a welcome one; everyone should dream big and pursue their dreams, only they are preaching to millions of ignorant gullible humans. Humans that would swallow the talk and take it as Jesus’ call “drop whatever your doing and follow me.” They all fail to see the need for an education in pursuing said dreams and how education ensures you have the perfect dream and execute immaculately. This article would serve to show us that education and its well laid out systems should never ever be side lined or dragged through the mud. I’d do my best to address most issues, hopefully this would correct all the idiots who think that school is for the goody-too-shoes who don’t want to take a leap—take risks. Some have said
- “Why study Geography when my phone can show any location?”
- “Why study Mathematics when all you need is add and subtract your money?”
- “Who Isosceles Triangle epp?”
- “Why go to school when everything is on the web?”
Here’s why you need school
- You never would have known the word “phone” or how to operate one if you never visited a school (Doubt me? Give a cell phone to a stone age mammal).
- Mathematics is not useless, as well as isosceles triangle studies. These are stimulating your neurons, preparing your brain for problem solving. I don’t need to tell you that Mathematics did teach you how to add and subtract (Doubt me? Multiply 16 million of your money by 3 then divide by 37 without a calculator you ultra smart human; if you indeed did that without a calculator and without scribbling you must be an educated animal).
- About everything being on the web. Everything concerning drugs is on the web, try being a pharmacist. I’m sure you’d find “how to be a surgeon on youtube”, please induct yourself as a surgeon. Sure skip driving school and learn off Youtube.
When you were born, your brain was literally empty, school put the alphabets in your head and now you can spit and write paragraphs. I am certain you can never pin point the one day the art of talking came upon you. School moulds us without our realizing it. Did you know the reason you show up early for work might not be fear of getting sacked or fear of your boss? Showing up early is a conditioned reflex from years of dreading Aunty Chi Chi’s late coming whip. You are trained in all forms, discipline and human relations—interaction with fellow students (not restricting your social interaction to WhatsApp and Facebook). All the challenges of the “system” sets you up to handle the pressures of the bigger “system” (Some would argue that school doesn’t prepare you, I beg to differ, go deep into your mind and realize that it does).
Let us stop shaming “being book smart.” The reality in Nigeria is that intelligent people have grown timid…The world is for the dumb, noisy and swaggerized peeps. Elsewhere Kim is celebrated more than ???? I don’t even have a name to go in there, just shows you how far the world has gone in the “kill-intelligence” scheme. Maybe there’s an evil ploy by intelligent people to hoard their book smartness (the illuminati) and let the entire world rot in un-book smartness.
Never ever refer to a graduate working a 9-5 job and earning a living as stupid (Story for another day). If we all became Flavours, who would make the laws, who would tend the hospitals…You come to my bank and insult me for working the counter, you might earn 1 million off “being mad” but I’m the one handing your notes to you and I could make you wait 3 hours for your own money. You insult me—“You common cleaner!” “Oh dear I’ve been a cleaner for 5 years now (my own form of education) and I’m the best cleaner in my firm, are you the best model in your state?”
In the same way don’t look down at non-graduates, they have received their own form of education—primary, secondary, parental or skill wise. As long as they absorb what they are taught and apply them they’d excel too, many would do even better than you graduates.
My heart goes out though to the non-graduates who are non-educated too (no form at all) yet dream big dreams…My advice, put your head down and get educated in any field of your choice. Don’t be a quack and think you can make music or be anything, a fine line between unintelligible babble and music RE: Darey Art Alade and Terry G (sadly I hear he’s educated). If you want to model, register in a professional agency (you need a source of income though while you pursue this i.e you must work hard to get to the top; remind you as well that top brands prefer booksmart models that can market them and speak like a human being). You want to make music, learn the ropes, scout song writers and music producers or straight up go to music school (Eminem reads the dictionary to produce awesome limericks; everything involves hard work, don’t only dream the dream, plan the hard work; don’t think you don’t need to be refined, you might just be asked a simple multiplication question and fail like Morgan). Want to play football? Join an academy. You want to blog or vlog, get IT training etc.
Please remember that our favourite celebrity drop outs are educated @ Tu face (O level plus coached by Director Kennis Music) and Bill Gates (Harvard).
EDUCATION should be non-negotiable that is why it is in the millennium development goals. Everyone ideally must be educated up to secondary level, you even get to choose arts, science or business then decide on the next “form” of education you must embark on (university/formal education if you like, technical, acting classes, modeling classes, music, football academy, apprenticeship, business). Make up your teenage mind (after 12 years of learning you should be able to make a sound choice). Do not go to science class and get convinced by Tunde 10 years later that rapping is the shit (quackery), do not move to arts class and later see that you really want to delve into information technology or neurology. Multi tasking is excellent but expertise is what puts you in the history books. Messi is the greatest footballer ever (years and years of training- education); I’m positive he has some other talent perhaps he is a very good rapper; he hasn’t dropped an album, why? He is a great footballer, music is just a hobby. Anything you are doing, get an education for it, never think talent and passion is enough. You’d be mediocre and move fast towards oblivion.
Do not go all out mad man pursuit of your dreams, take into consideration circumstances and realities. Example if you are a secondary school leaver who strongly believes he would be the next Tu Face but you’ve got zero capital and parents who are willing to train you in an educational system (although not with music as a discipline). Do your best not to go “movie-like” driven with passion and say “I’m not going to school, I’d start my own record company and when I make it I would show my haters.” Now you are wrong, all those who are pushing for you to go to school don’t hate you, they love you and they are looking at what’s best for you with at least 80 percent success rate. Sadly our society has not come to terms that disciplines such as music, arts, modeling or business is education too. I am confident we’d get there soon. For now though we are not there, calling spades what they are—reality is in present day Nigeria no one would “willingly” sponsor their child’s “passion” outside conventional university disciplines (I know there are exceptions). Put your head down, choose a discipline suitable to the opportunity your parents or loved ones are giving you; head to school. While in school do what you can to harness your talent and keep your passion burning. Keep on writing in your note pads (using music as an example, same applies to other passions), where necessary showcase your skills—Faculty presentations, SUG events. After school, apply yourself in the training someone else paid for and sadly might have chosen for you (You might have even grown to like the discipline). Raise a little capital (your own money, no parent would question how you want to spend it or the dream you want to pursue with your own money). Use your capital as a spring while you seek for help (no one should seek for help in rising in society with zero naira in their pockets, that is begging; entrepreneurship is not the act of begging). Use your fan base in school and your experiences in school (can write a thousand songs from them) to set up. You have a conventional-parents-pleasing education and your dreams are still intact. In the first few years when you’d be struggling as a greenhorn artist you have fall back income—say NYSC alawi or salary from the “shitty” job you hate so much. Win-win right?
While all-out-mad-man-pursuit may work for 1 in 50 people, you should feel uneasy about having to be one of the 49. Cowardice? Let’s look at Falz, he’s a learned man who used his education and the network built in school to turn into an A list music star with brute force marketing. Naeto C etc. Education carries you to greatness. My point is Nigerian youths get Educated!!!
There’s Only One Source of Wisdom and Knowledge—Books
Stories Teach Us How To Live.
Start doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
IF YOU FEEL I MADE JUST A TINY LITTLE SENSE HERE PLEASE SHARE, YOU JUST MIGHT SAVE A SOUL FROM WRONG CHOICES…
(4 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading...
