DISCOURSE 124: DILEMMA OF THE MODERN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
Sampson Nkwetatang Nguekie[1]
By my earnest reckoning, the Modern Educational System is predominantly frail, overwhelmingly porous, and virtually hollow––and from such a frailty, from such a porosity, and from such a hollowness, what more can you expect than mediocrity? Where else can a graduate of such a system find himself than in a dilemma? Pity the founders of this slothful educational system. Pity its management. Pity its staff. Pity its graduates. Pity God’s precious time, energy and resources being wasted therein. You’re welcome to discourse entertainment in the Magnolian Academy.
The ultimate goal of the Modern Educational System is the conferring of academic certificates to pupils and students for them to use in applying for jobs, or training them as professionals in their chosen walks of life. This formation is geared towards one direction––at preparing the young aspirants for the job market. Unfortunately, at the end of the race, they have only been taught how to receive material into their heads and use it when and where necessary, but they have not been taught how to conceive material with their heads and use it when and where necessary. In simpler terms, they have only been taught to listen and act by virtue of what they have heard, but they have not been taught to think and act by virtue of their inborn talents. They have only been taught how to make money, property and a family, but they have not been taught how to make a legacy. Such a cadaverous educational system is an unpardonable crime against humanity, and it should be charged with high treason. The worst thing which you can do to a human being is to deprive him of his freedom of thought and of initiative.
Why do we complain that we have acquired higher academic certificates, yet we are unemployed? It is because our educational system has failed us. It has not taught us how to create employment. On the contrary, it has taught us how to crave for employment. It has not taught us how to be self-reliant. On the contrary, it has taught us how to rely on others. Yes. That is the sole cause of the massive unemployment in many countries in the world today. We urgently need a drastic change in our educational system in order to remedy this deplorable situation - else, in the next two decades, pandemonium will deep us into the dregs.
For the sake of sobriety and sublime, I recommend hereof, the Medieval Educational System as a very urgent and long-lasting solution to this grievous situation. At their teen ages when our children have started speaking fluently and writing eloquently, we should send them to either our home, school or public libraries to drink from the fountain of knowledge in books. After about three years of reading, they will come out from there well-armed in mind, and two years training in their chosen careers will make them unbeatable professionals.
We need more libraries than schools. We need more mentors than teachers. We need more thinkers than gamblers. We need more producers than consumers. We need more successors than predecessors. Then, nature’s abundant stock will be exploited, and life’s bountiful beauty will be enjoyed. This little, more in our subsequent papers.
Farewell.
[1] Sampson Nkwetatang Nguekie is 3rd Class Honours Pen Fellow of the Magnolian Academy