IS SCHOOL REALLY THAT IMPORTANT?
I recently concluded the semester exams, and about to commence a new semester (but my school don officially resume o). Let me also mention that I started this year writing exams. All thanks to the six month ASUU strike. We barely went half the semester before the strike, and we came back in January to write exams… exams for what I really don't know. We didn't even see the faces of some lecturers, while some didn't come to lecture up to three times. Yet we MUST write those exams, we had no choice. Hmmm… there is God ooo!
All glory to God, the performance was not bad, infact better than the previous semester. But honestly, I don't think I remember most of what I read in a rush just to pass those exams, but I have to pass ALL my courses with good grades so I can graduate in flying colours. After my four years of struggling, I'm sure of securing a good job with my college degree. Ok, now that last statement is a fallacy. And the truth is over 70% of Nigerian undergraduates think this way. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against school, but I have a problem with the idea of going to school before you can be successful in life.
Let's be real. In our world today, most of the big companies and enterprise you know of are headed (or owned) by people who never graduated, or even went to school. Yet they are employing graduates, even Ph.D holders. We often refer to graduates as literates and those who never went to school as illiterates, but these "illiterate" CEO's seem to know something that most graduates don't know or understand. Things that are very important to become successful, but unfortunately aren't taught in schools. Who then is the "illiterate"? The man who didn't go to school but employs Ph.D holders, or the man still seeking a job after five years of graduation? That brings me to the Million Dollar (if you like choose Naira) question; IS SCHOOL REALLY THAT IMPORTANT?
To answer and explain this, permit me to EDUCATE you with a special analogy I came up with. Get a pen and a notepad because you might need to take down notes.
THE CAKE ANALOGY.
We all love cake! (I don't know about you, so let me speak for myself). I love cake! I could commit murder just for cake! Ok, that's me joking. But honestly, I could really kill just for cake o. Anyway, pay no attention to me… just thinking out loud. Like I said, I love cake, especially the ones coated with icing. Cakes are just perfect with the icing (if you'll agree with me. Even if you don't, just AGREE… yes na by force!). This does not imply that cake can't be enjoyed without the icing on it; it's good without the icing, but better with it. But you can't enjoy the icing alone without the cake. You might for a while, but the thing go tire you ehhhn! It's also not healthy to consume icing alone.
Now let me add the twist to it. Let's consider EDUCATION as CAKE, and SCHOOL as the ICING. There is a popular saying which states; "A truly learned man is one who knows something about everything"… or almost everything. I guess you'll agree with me that not every graduate is educated, or learned as the case may be. The difference between those successful CEO's without a college degree and graduates still struggling is KNOWLEDGE! They keep educating themselves and expanding their minds in every aspect possible (financially, mentally, socially, spiritually, skillfully, etc.). They learn new things everyday… most of which you'll never learn in school. It is apparent that you can EDUCATE YOURSELF with or without school. Read books! The internet is also there for you to get knowledge and information. Inculcate the habit of reading books that help develop your mind (in a positive way). Readers are leaders. LEARNING IS FUN! (not in school though). Love learning… o yes, you should be a learner. It will make you wise and way ahead of your peers. EDUCATION is key!
Knowing that EDUCATION is more important than SCHOOL, we still can't rule out school. It has it's own importance. School as it is is very important, but does you little or no good if you don't educate yourself during the process of schooling (and after schooling…very essential). Just like the icing, graduating is sweet. But if you fail to "educate" yourself, it's only a matter of time before the sweetness of graduating turns sour. You go for job interviews and the employers find out you've got nothing to offer… just a degree in whatever you wasted your time "studying" in the university. Fellow Nigerians, EDUCATE YOURSELF! GO AFTER KNOWLEDGE! But like I said, cake is perfect with the icing on it.
If you never went to school, never graduated, or don't have the opportunity, EDUCATE YOURSELF. You'll be smarter than a lot of graduates who never educated themselves. Having the CAKE (EDUCATION) alone is good, but SCHOOL is the ICING on the CAKE. If you are educated and you have a college degree, you have an upper hand. You can become a top class CEO as a result of your education and schooling experience. You'll be able to think out of the box rather than subscribing to conventional ways of doing stuff.
BOTTOM LINE:
Get educated. Educating yourself is very good, but it's much better when combined with the experience acquired from school. Education on its own (independent of school) is good. School on its own (independent of education) is a flat failure, and a sheer waste of time. Education combined with school is simply PERFECT… much better than education alone.
But if I'm to answer the question, "Is School Really That Important?" My answer would be: School is not as important as education, but when combined with education, school adds a finishing touch to it… more like the icing on the cake.
What is/are your own answer(s)? Please share.
And don't forget to send me a delicious cake (with icing of course).
Thanks and God bless! :)
