The last 8 month ASUU strike was the breaking point for most Nigerian students. Over the years, there has been an increasing lack of interest in education amongst the youths in Nigeria. While the poor quality of education, incessant strikes and the high rate of graduate unemployment are major factors responsible for this, a desire for wealth is probably the most influential force.
Thanks to social media and technology, it is now possible for youths to earn money their parents could never dream of even without a university degree. As someone once put it, “Nobody is going to ask you what you studied in the university, or what grade you came out with, the question is always, What can you do?”
This notion fueled by dreams of wealth and luxury has caused many students to seek other viable activities to take up their time. It is also causing many SSCE graduates to postpone getting into the university for those even still interested. Entrepreneurship and learning digital skills has taken priority over academics for a lot of students.
The average Nigerian student is either a business person, an affiliate marketer, a forex and or crypto trader, a programmer, a content creator, a social media manager, a writer, a graphics designer, a project manager, a UI/UX designer amongst others.
One can argue that everyone is pursuing digital skills. Major technology breakthroughs in the coming years will greatly impact the forms of work and the labor market structure. Digital skills are a must for any professional who wants to stand a chance in today’s world. Seeing that Nigeria is lagging behind in almost every other sector in comparison with other countries in the world, it’s exciting to see youths aspiring to close this skill gap.
However, are their aspirations a cause for concern?
Universities have a major role to play in enriching the civic and economic lives of their communities. A major mission of universities aside from dissemination of established knowledge to the wider society is the creation of new knowledge–knowledge that may be used in governance and the major improvement of society. Modern interventions and innovations are products of research and experiment which are birthed through academic institutions.
If its major workforce, students and researchers, are fast reducing and losing interest, what then can be said of the institution and its mission? Even more disturbing is the fact that many youths acquire these skills because they want to work abroad or work for international corporations and earn foreign currency while their home country bleeds.
Also, considering that in the connected economy and society, digital skills must function alongside other abilities such as literacy, arithmetic skills, critical and innovative thinking, problem solving, collaborative skills and socio-emotional intelligence, isn’t it worrisome that higher institutions and university settings where all these can be acquired and experienced is taking the backseat?
As a student and youth , there is a need to reexamine our core values and what we hold dear. No doubt, the government has failed us, the educational system has failed us. University education in Nigeria hardly equips us for modern day employment, that much is true. However, rather than completely give up on the notion of higher education, Are there no steps that both students and the government can take to revive the system?
If we are being honest, the truth still remains that nothing can take the place of a standard education (not the kind in Nigeria currently). Many digital skills being acquired in most cases can only bring financial freedom. Education is the only thing that can bring a real transformation to human society.
Great things and people have come out of the Nigerian educational system and they still can. Hopefully we won't get to see a future where university education is almost non-existent.
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