Growing up, one of the popular adages we heard as a child is “Education is the key to success”. Back then, this adage served as a source of motivation to children to take their education very seriously as it was presented as a tool to be successful in life.
We were made to believe that education is the most important tool one can receive, a yardstick to be among the successful people, and lessens the challenges one may encounter in society. Also, the more knowledge one gains, the more opportunities will open up to allow one to achieve better possibilities in career and personal growth.
According to Wikipedia, Numerous definitions of education have been suggested by theorists belonging to diverse fields. Many agree that education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, especially the transmission of knowledge but they often include other aims as well, such as fostering skills and character traits.
Education is the attainment of knowledge, skills, and ideas mainly in a closed space, and through the guidance of a teacher.
Although, education has played an important role in the career world of the twenty-first century. A person with a higher education will be easily qualified compared to a person without an extended education; as one will be prepared to do various tasks that careers demand as well as meet job standards.
Education has also developed a unique perspective of looking at life; it has played a major role for all individuals in society. The community succeeded both socially and economically by enabling it to develop common culture and values.
However, is this enough to qualify education as the key to success?
Education is believed to be the foundation of success as one need to be educated to succeed in life, right? But in Nigeria where various challenges are affecting the educational sector like:
Lack of proper funding from the government.
Scarcity of qualified teachers and lecturers.
Policy inconsistencies and lack of programme implementation for University lecturers and incessant strike actions.
Inadequate training programmes for teachers and lecturers.
In a country where the less educated are feeding the most educated.
In a country where students were forced out of the classroom for the past six months owing to the ongoing ASUU strike, can we still say education is the key to success?
It is no surprise if some citizens find it hard to believe that an educated Nigerian is a successful Nigerian. This is a result of the corruption in the educational system, which has led to the current high rate of unemployment in the country.
The question “Is Education the key to success in Nigeria? ” is sure to get people talking and arguing as there are many diverse opinions on this topic. Some believe regardless of some challenges confronting the educational sector in Nigeria, it still remains the key to success while some believe education is nowhere near the key to success.
Ayanfe John, a graduate of Purchasing and Supply while reacting to the topic said to him the answer is both Yes and No.
He said while education is a key to success in Nigeria and the world at large, there are other determinants that one needs to add up to succeed as far as the Nigeria case is concerned. He advised that people should not be deceived, go to school and do their best, adding that they should not rely on the government as the government doesn’t have anything to offer as its contribution towards the growth of education in Nigeria which is quite frustrating and deceitful.
He further encouraged people to engage in skill acquisition or training as an addendum to formal education they acquire especially in this digital age. They should not shy away from engaging in any available skill acquisition.
Similarly, Femi Oyebode, a graduate of Banking and Finance in his submission also said education remains a key factor to success but in the case of a country like Nigeria, education is only a key but not the major factor to success
He said Education provides the opportunity to be able to “think outside the box” which shall aid productivity and efficiency but research has shown that the curricula education is not sufficient to equip one for excellence and efficiency. According to him, It grief the heart to know that relying on curricular education has limited people and as a result, the value has drastically dropped.
He went further to mention how imposition of employees and shady employment procedures has wreaked havoc in the educational system thereby making the value dwindle over the last few decades.
He concluded by saying education is a factor to success but because of the few points he explained, in Nigeria, curricula education is no longer the key to success because there is more to education beyond the curricula.
In an online report, it was published that “in reality, education is not the solitary way to succeed. Not everybody can receive an education, or even an excellent education from a decent academic university.
“There are many students who have no desire to attend higher institutions and who would be much better off if they don’t. People can be successful in any field with the right skills. Education, which is Book learning, has a lot to do with the knowledge a person has, but not with the skills a person has.
It was further reported that there are many A+ graduates out there that cannot get a job, or are stuck working at a place that had nothing to do with their degree and a numerous number of students in higher institutions care more about grades than knowledge.
Some even graduate, get to the field and meet with different things from what they learn in school, thus what they thought they know is zero, so there goes a graduate with little knowledge and no skills.
Passing classes alone cannot get people to succeed. The main thing a person needs in order to succeed is drive, motivation and passion”.
If you ask me the question “Is Education a key to success? I will say, Yes education is a key to success but beyond the curriculum. It is an education that is beyond the curriculum, beyond book learning and passing classes that can be referred to as a key to success.
Curricula Education is no longer a key success factor in Nigeria.
