Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State.

The subject question is really a food for thought for everyone. While the answer to the subject question might appear simple and straightforward, but if we look at it critically in relation to what is prevalent in our Nigerian society and our Education sector, we would realize it is a bit complicated and really not a straightjacket. However, without mincing words, the Nigerian Educational sector as it has been structured, and the society’s view in this regard; does not prepare the Nigerian youths for the challenges of the future.

While education can best be defined as the acquisition of knowledge (be it formal or informal), and the right application of such acquired/developed knowledge or skill to transform one’s society for one’s good and that of others; certificates are simply the evidence/proof that indicates/suggests that one has passed through a formal education. Sadly, education in Nigeria, especially amongst the political class and some elites, has been defined education in “quantities” rather than “qualitative terms.” This means that “paper qualification” (certification) has been substituted for knowledge/skill acquisition and its right ‘application’ to solve humanity problems. In other words, certificate acquisition has been highly rated amongst the Nigerian political class and elites, at the expense of knowledge/skill acquisition and its right application or evident performance in solving our societal problems.

We all would agree with the fact that in the future (which has already started NOW), most career jobs will be automated. That means the people that will succeed in such a world would have to be curious-minded, innovative, creative and resilient to adapt to new challenges. Sadly, the focus in our Nigerian educational system is not that. The focus in our School system is on ‘regurgitating information’ and taking tests to secure certificates. In one of his recent shot educational, inspiring and motivational videos online, Richard Williams (better known as Prince E.A), made a clear and blunt insight about what we are trying to say here. He noted that in today’s world, “creativity is the most important leadership skill”. In fact, this is the mindset of most top company Executives around the world. That means soon, no one will be hired because of what they know or the number of certificates they have acquired because, who cares what you know if all you have been able to do is to memorize facts. But we have Google for that. In other words, in the future, people will be hired for work because of what they can do with their knowledge. Can they creatively solve real world problems? Not just to follow instructions or directions.

This situation has left the nation with a magnitude number of half-baked graduates who are unemployable, and who cannot really face the future to address problems facing humanity. This has also reflected in the nation’s political class. Whenever we consider our Nigerian politicians and elites, most of whom who despite all the certificates and degrees that they have piled up through their lives, they still act like people who are devoid of education. Compared to many others out there in developed societies, who, despite not being able to have any (or little) certificates/degrees, but have positively impacted their environment and humanity more.

To the Nigerian political class and most Nigerian elites, education for them is to acquire certificates and use same as a ‘societally-acknowledged symbol of status’ to show off, climb political space, acquire public wealth by being active within the Nigerian Governments at different levels. As such, we can conclusively say that about 95 percent of Nigerians who have held political positions at one level or the other, usually come out as very/super rich persons. Most of them who did not have their own personal houses before they went into government, usually came out owning several houses/mansions/estates in major cities of the country and across different parts of the world. The question we should always ask is, what was the financial status of these politicians before they joined Government?

It is one thing to pass through ‘formal’ education and gather all the certificates one can gather, but it is a different thing entirely to allow formal education to really pass through one. Let us also not forget the importance of having good ‘informal education’ that adds in the shaping of one’s character and view of life. As a matter of fact, informal and self-education is even far more important in building one’s character with high moral values like honesty, integrity, sincerity, empathy, hard work, being good and responsible citizens, etc. Most of these values are not gotten through formal education but can best be instilled through informal education. There is also the very important part played by one’s religion and belief system.

With this at the back of our mind, we can then conclude that a person without a ‘conscience’ and empathy for others, no matter his/her attained level of education/training, can best be described as a certificated-illiterate. Education, formal and informal, is supposed to produce an ‘all-round’ developed individual whose character, mind and human intelligence are well groomed to serve and meet, not only his/her needs, but most importantly the needs of others, especially if in a position of leadership and no matter the level of leadership. That is why when we look our present crop of leaders and what is going on in our society, we can say that our political leaders of this era are mostly certificated-illiterates. They are certificated-illiterates in the sense that, it is only ‘illiterate’ persons that will pay armed thugs to snatch ballot boxes and stuff them with fake voting cards in their favour during elections.

It is only ‘illiterate or uneducated’ persons that would bribe electoral officials to declare fake results in their favour, and then they go to the Church to give Thanksgivings for stealing political mandates. It is only ‘illiterates or uneducated’ persons that would take our collective wealth meant for the development of society to benefit all, as if it is their private money which they can mismanage and misappropriate as they like without any iota of accountability. Educated persons will not hire our jobless youths to harass/intimidate or assassinate political opponents just to remain in power. Educated persons will not carry armed thugs wherever they go as body guards. Educated persons will not loot our collective public treasury through the awards of highly inflated government contracts, and at the end of the day still abandon such contracts with impunity. Educated persons will not be involved in ‘praise-singing’ and sycophancy just to be in the good books of so-called political fathers or their political bosses. Obtaining degrees upon degrees, doctorate degrees in law or fellow in medicines and becoming Nigerian Professors of any discipline, does not make one act like somebody who is truly educated. It only means they have certificates without actually being educated.

The bottom line is that we need the change of mindset in this country concerning education and what it really means, if we are to prepare our younger generation for a future we all would be proud of and want to be part of. As noted by Prince E. A, we should leave behind these ‘repetitive knowledge-based tests/tasks evident in our schools, or in the future, we are going to find a lot of people graduating out of school into the unemployment line. Many top companies today do not look for grades. That old way is expiring. Google has been quoted as saying GPAs are worthless criteria for hiring people for jobs. Founder of Tesla Electric Motors, Mr. Elon Musk, agrees to this. So, if we continue to teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our youths/younger generation of their tomorrow. But the question is, how do we prepare a child for the future that does not exist? Here is a hint: the answer is not in textbooks. It is in using or brains and hearts/minds. For it is only people with inspired hearts, passion and compassion that can uplift our society and the world at large.

It is high time we began to look beyond certificates and class of degrees in getting the best brains, especially in the public service domain. A first-class degree holder does not necessarily mean “first class knowledge or brain.” What is a certificate without a corresponding knowledge and character?

There are many billionaires, entrepreneurs and political leaders across the world today that were/are without certificates of the different levels of education but their positive impact to their society and humanity has continued to outlive them. Michael Faraday worked in a London book shop, with virtually no formal education, was able to revolutionized our understanding of electricity and a whole lot more; Thomas Edison who invented the light bulb, motion picture camera, telephone, phonography and has more than 1,000 patents in his name, was taught how to read and write by his mother, after he was expelled from school because teachers thought he was too slow to learn; The Wright brothers who never finished High School, invented the “flying machine” and flew the first airplane; Bill Gates only spent 2 years in Harvard and he became the founder of Microsoft and was once considered the world’s richest man; Steve Jobs dropped out of college after 6 months but he spent 18 months dropping in on creative classes at the school, until he eventually became co-founder to Apple Computers with Steve Wozniak. But it was under Steve that the company pioneered a series of revolutionary technologies, including the iPhone and iPad. We are certain that, if these investors were to be Nigerians, their talents and skill would have been wasted because nobody would give them the opportunity to excel because they do not have “bags of certificates”. In fact, their dreams and ideas would have just been killed. That is the sort of society we live in; where certificates have become the goal rather than right acquisition of knowledge.

How do we then reinvent the wheels? How can we resuscitate our comatose educational system and make it serve as the vehicle for social transformation? How can our educational system prepare today’s young people for leadership and public service in a fast-changing world? These questions are far from being merely academic; they touch at the heart of nation building and authentic human development.

Today’s students need to know that the individuals who are emerging as the new winners of the 21st century are those who possess above average creativity, strong analytical skills, a knack for foresight and relevant skills. They are the right-brainers who are taking over the present economy. They are the inventors, the designers, the listeners, the big-picture thinkers, and the pattern recognizers – those who know how to optimise and creatively maneuver the facts, not just memorise or regurgitate them. All this they do while knowing how to effectively team up with others. Even in remote villages of the world, people with such talents are popping up.

To succeed in this new world order, young people need to be taught leadership principles that will equip them with more adaptability, knowledge, ingenuity and resources, not just to survive on the margins, but to thrive in the 21st century. They need to be infused with the passion, the dynamism and the entrepreneurial spirit to shape their lives and future and the future of the world. Today’s challenges place a higher premium on the ability to champion change, drive for results and an ability to lead a process of continuous improvement.

Zik Gbemre.

National Coordinator

Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC)

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