The viability of education and learning

I had a very interesting conversation with my learners today. As a teacher I always try to encourage them to study and never stop studying. This is because this world we live in requires one to be educated for them to leap into success. One of them said to me, ‘school and studying isn’t for me, I’m a pretty young man I’ll become a model or actor’. As stunned as I was, I then asked him, ‘you’ll be an uneducated model all your life?’, with all these already successful models and actors who are constantly educating themselves in their industry. In essence what I was trying to explain to them was, when I say continue learning I am not solely speaking of formal education but inclusive of the informal one.

Learning from each other, on your own terms and through a formal institution is viable in its own right. Because at the end of the day, you need new information relevant to what you do. The world is changing constantly which leaves no room for laziness and a static mind. Most often than not when someone is trying to motivate you, there’s this little devil that tries to convince you otherwise, never let it win. Because no advice is little advice. You learn from everything you come across. From social media to a newspaper written years ago. If formal education isn’t your thing, look for other options to supplement what you’re missing.

Let’s take it back to the olden days, parents were and still are fond of formal education as the starting point. I must say I agree with them based on the following: formal education which is your primary and high school level, is often not taken as seriously by many young people however it gives you ground. I’m going to use myself as an example, if no one is pushing you to do something it often is hard for you to get it done. I am a deadline type of person because without deadlines as old as I am I still struggle to stay a hundred percent committed. Imagine a 13 year old being told, do as you please. Chances are they’d only focus on what entertains them which would then be a short term thing. Although formal education was introduced through a colonial and oppressive manner, it important to understand that majority of successful people wouldn’t be where they are without having completed at least grade 10.

In South Africa, the minimum requirement for a basic laborer is a Matric certificate (Grade 12). However considering the fact that many young black people are constantly educating themselves towards honors and masters level education. If we could fast forward to 10 years from now, where does that leave a person who only has a grade 12? No doubt, the phrase ‘not everyone is destined for formal education’ is true but now the problem is we are in constant competition with our peers. Good competition of course. We are all about growth. What I am trying to put out there is, if something is not for you, do something to supplement that loss. If course, you can only say school is not for you rightfully when and only when you have an independence of some sort. Not when you are as clueless as one can be. Remember never stop learning.

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