Why Get Educated

For over a decade now, talk of education standards going down, has been on the lips of most people. But, why are education stands in Malawi going down? For some, this is a simple question whose answers are obvious for all to see. The blame often falls on the mushrooming of private schools, lack of proper infrastructure, indiscipline due to the misunderstanding of the concepts democracy and freedom. Indeed, so many valid reasons have been presented and debated in the public domain. In my view though, most of the reasons provided do not really tackle the root cause of our problem. Most of it, is like prescribing panadol to treat malaria just because the patient has complained of body pains.

 It is my opinion that the Malawian mindset about education which focuses much on  education as a tool for ensuring a better life through getting better jobs is the single largest factor why our education is on a crash course. In a time when there are more people with sound education and yet still job hunting, it is an insult not only to the educated job seeker but also to education itself to emphasize on jobs as a main reason for getting educated. Realistically, in an ailing economy like ours, the old guard are reluctant to give up their jobs for retirement. This means that, the up and coming generation must struggle with the waiting for a turn that seems not to come. This results in loss of motivation for the student still in school who upon seeing those who already underwent the education system still moving around and about, ends up thinking that getting educated does not really pay.

Therefore, in a country like ours, whose economy is so weak and does not create enough jobs, it would pay greatly if focus was to be put on the other reasons on why people need education. For instance, many a times, statements like knowledge is power have been produced in different fora. It would pay greatly if as a nation we built on such statements and try to advance it as the primary reason why one should get educated. One must be made to understand that education has in itself an intrinsic value even if one does not get employed. Surely, it would pay a lot if people understood that not everyone who undergoes an education, can get employed.

 Understanding  that it is the knowledge gained through the process of education that is important and not the better job illusion that is tied to the education that matters would provide more motivation than the current reinforced perception that education is necessary for better employment. The world is awash with examples of people who despite getting educated and failing to secure any employment ended up starting their own enterprises. Remarkably, they  have achieved recognizable success just from the knowledge they gained from their education whether formal or informal. For example, Dr Pascal Chikhutha of Dowa, who despite not being employed was able to utilize his knowledge from school to develop a gravity fed irrigation system.

Restoring the standards of our education therefore, demands that we refuse to see the illusion that education is there to enable us get a better life through better employment only. There is need to refocus our energies towards rediscovering that education is the very foundation on which our nation’s growth must stand. Education should be rightly understood as a means to sharpening skills, challenging and removing dogma in the minds of those who go through the system. Education should be considered  as a tool towards empowerment of an individual to think, question, and see beyond the obvious. It should be looked at as a stimulant that drives one to start the journey of exploration and learning new things that in turn creates new knowledge  necessary for a nations growth.

Government and the entire society must without trying to be political reflect on the role that institutions like the Malawi Young Pioneer (MYP) played in the development of this country. It is a fact that despite not being employed, the best artisans we have are probably those who underwent training at the MYP. Talk of the best drivers, cooks and even the best farmers. What those who went through the MYP got, was an education. It was not tailored to have them employed rather it was mean to give them skills that can aid their survival as well as develop the country.

To this end, the government and indeed the society at large must push for the introduction of  policies that are tailored to support the empowerment of those leaving school to be able to think and possibly be job makers and not merely as passive receivers in the existing job market. The education model should be the one that encourages one not be just a user of the knowledge gained. It should encourage one to be creative and be a generator of new knowledge and not just a consumer of the existing knowledge.

Most importantly the knowledge gained from education is very important for human survival as it broadens our horizon and gives us a better understanding of the world around us. This as such, calls for better strategies that would enlighten minds on the other important reasons of education other than securing a better job. Those going through the system must learn to appreciate that education is intrinsically good and valuable hence the first focus should be on getting an education and not necessarily the thought of a better job. Until this is done, and the diploma disease is effectively dealt with, our education standard will continue falling regardless of what dosage we give it.