In recent times,
a common trendy statement in some parts of Nigeria is a short phrase of three
words captioned school na scam. The caption caught my attention especially
because it is commonly peddled by the demography of young people.
Assumedly, the caption
connotes different philosophies:
School is not an index
for wealth generation: School
na scam is
an observable result produced from feelings of dissatisfaction and
discouragement. After obtaining a degree, the youth has to learn an
informal/formal skill to be able to earn a living. You hear statements such as;
with all your efforts, reading and passing exams and even making the
first-class grade, what do you have to show for it. It means the expectation of
the speaker is to be gainfully employed after going to school and earn a salary
either commensurate to efforts put into learning.
There is no perceived
benefit associated with being educated in terms of financial remuneration.
Somebody goes through school, works hard and becomes certified, but is not able
to get formal employment and consequently remuneration of work. It questions the purpose and benefit of work put into schooling.
School na scam is also fueled
by yahoo-yahoo (internet fraud), a short-cut alternative to work and quick wealth,: In an environment
where crime is bred and even normalized as a means of earning income, it
thrives. I have asked for the occupation of a person and the response was yahoo-yahoo. I wondered how yahoo-yahoo suddenly
became a vocation or skill acquisition because I hear some people say they are
learning yahoo-yahoo. They get enrolled and trained to learn it
like they are learning a vocation
Yahoo-yahoo is crime that is
sometimes laced with ritual killing to aid quick wealth. The internet became
suddenly agog with news of either a slain girl or an attempted murder of a girl
by a suspected ritualist/yahoo boy. When there is so much money to throw
around, without decent work, and the person who has a degree, and working with
his degree has little to show for his efforts, it leads to an undeniable
conclusion of school
na scam.
In addition, some
people can earn a degree without working for it. That means every grade got
that made the certificate awarded was paid for. They get a certificate without
ever entering the school they purportedly graduated from. They neither attend
lectures nor sit for exams, suddenly you hear the person has graduated. Records
from the institution will show the person enrolled and sat for exams and has
met all the requirements. They bag degrees without being schooled. This is
possible because they were able to pay their way through and some systems
permitted it. A person peddling school na scam philosophy knows he can make quick wealth and pay his
way through to earn a degree.
Another reason for school
na scam ideology is Government failure and ineptitude, bureaucracy and
nepotism
The statement school
na scam cannot be rightly put away altogether as nonsense because of the
prevailing situation in the country. Unemployment, increasing poverty level,
the rising cost of living, recurrent strikes etc contribute to the philosophy
of school na
scam. Some students are ready to
put their minds to work, but institutions are shut down due to recurring
strikes as a result of a lack of political will to do the needful. Some
students are coerced to pay for their grades to pass or lose the grade and
fail. Why should such a student read or work after paying? Destroying the
educational system is synonymous to destroying the future of society.
In situations where
schools that are designed to give education fail to do so because of corrupt
practices, or give training that is outdated and not relevant to current market
needs, school
na scam may
look tenable. In light of obvious failures and gaps between our educational
system and societal/market demand, the Government and all critical stakeholders
in the academia must necessarily improve the educational system in
Nigeria. In developed climes, where systems are working, a statement
as school na scam may not be trendy.
WHAT IS SCHOOL?
School in a simple
sense is a place where people learn to read, write and acquire knowledge after
systemic exposure to the learning curriculum. Learning is a continuum and does
not cease for those who aspire and continuously seek knowledge. In attending a
school different methods of teaching are employed, and contents are structured
in ways that new ideas/theories are built on existing ones.
PURPOSE OF SCHOOL
Imagine a world
without formal schools?
Learning is both
formal and informal and without formal schools, there will still be some form
of learning and informal education. Howbeit, there is a different twist if my thoughts cannot
be scribbled on paper for others to read and understand. Communication will be
a little more difficult. Writing in my native dialect cannot be done if I
cannot read or write in my dialect. It feels so good to know that I can read
the bible, fill a biodata of myself or a bank enrollment form. I can learn from
western cultures and use modern technology for my work/business. All these and
many more will not be possible if I did not attend school.
School, whether virtual or actual exists to train
people in learning and character, refine talents and make people more civil.
EDUCATION IS LIGHT
Education is commonly
termed as the light and human right of any individual. You never can fully know
the importance of education until you can solve a common problem in your
environment from knowledge gained in science or art.
Education aids
critical thinking, keeps you informed and makes you a better person. With
education, you put your intellect to use and continuously sharpen your mental
prowess. With education, you are trained and empowered with knowledge for a
field of study, where you contribute meaningfully to society. That means,
doctors, lawyers, teachers, bankers, artist, journalists etc. It is true that there are unemployed graduates, but there are also graduates who are earns well legitimately and contribute their
quota to the society. Education is the light of any given society and must not
be equated for a scam.
SCHOOL NA SCAM?
A scam is any scheme
that is deceptive or used to defraud people. This does not fit the definition
or purpose of school. To the discourse of this article, school nor be scam.
Ignorance na scam. I have gone through school(s) and there is a way it affects
my thinking and disposition towards living. The singular fact that knowledge is
acquired and ignorance curbed gives enough credence to the fact that school is
not a scam.
Dear reader, please
keep hope alive, school nor be scam, yahoo-yahoo na crime. Making money dubiously and paying your bills
by it does not equate crime for right, though charitable deeds are done with
the proceeds.
Professionally, I
teach students, which means I impact knowledge and get paid for what I do. It
will not be possible if I see school as a scam.
Before you key into
the idea of school
na scam and
opt for yahoo-yahoo as your means of wealth, think of
alternatives for generating revenue that is crime free and you will be at rest.
BIBLE VERSES ABOUT
ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH
Proverbs 13:11(ESV)
Wealth gained hastily
will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
Proverbs 15:27(ESV)
Whoever is greedy for
unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live.
Proverbs 21:6 (NIV)
A fortune made by a
lying tongue is
a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare
Proverbs 20:17(ESV)
Bread gained by deceit
is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth will be full of gravel.
Proverbs 15:16 (ESV)
Better is a little
with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it.
Thank you for reading