Dear Students,
I know at this point, after these ill-fated 8 months of the ASUU strike that you spent at home, you must be questioning the value of education in a country that has sacrificed the values inherent in her educational system at the altar of clueless and corrupt politicians.
I still remember your experience during the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2019 and how you spent many months at home with no means of e-learning available. Then, as though that wasn’t enough, the ASUU strike came and robbed you of another eight months of your schooling. I can understand, after these many months at home, you must be questioning the benefits of education in a country that has an unimaginable unemployment rate and has no vision of creating jobs. You must surely feel discouraged watching many of your seniors who have graduated, still jobless and roaming the streets in search of meandering to survival.
You must have lost hope in the brighter future that education promises because there seems to be no future in a country where former politicians are recycled and the future of the youths mortgaged for trillions of naira in foreign debts.
It’s highly likely that you may be thinking of no longer pursuing formal education, starting up a small business to support yourself, and bidding a final farewell to this seemingly hopeless educational journey.
Wait!! It would be the greatest mistake you would make in life if you allow the present situation in the country to destroy your future ambitions. Remember education goes beyond the four walls of the university. You only need the higher education institution to validate your credentials and not your knowledge; so do not quit.
The world is going through a technological revolution. In such a world, driven by technological innovation, the centrality of human cognitive, psychological, social, intuitive, spiritual, and creative input cannot be underestimated. You are the person the world needs to innovate and grow!! Do not quit!!
Have you thought of what would happen to our health institutions if there were no doctors, nurses, lab scientists, pharmacists, or medical technicians? What about our industrial developments and those of infrastructure? If our indigenous engineers are gone should we import foreigners to developers in our own country? Should our schools be closed down in the future because there are no aspiring teachers and professors? What would happen to our economic system if there were no accountants, economists, or managers?
Who would connect us with the outside world and defend the cyber security frontiers of our nation if the persons in IT quit?
Think about various other professions that enhance our collective survival and the smooth running of our institutions. If you are aspiring to be in any of these professions why should you quit?
Now is the time to begin to look at education from the optics of self-improvement and lifelong aspiration. Do not give up hope now. I assure you a better future is about to unfold for you.
If you believe in humanity, believe in your education. Pursue your dreams despite all odds.
I realize your graduation date has been delayed. It hurts. Look beyond the graduation date to use the time you have now to develop yourself and be the best you wished for yourself. Graduation isn’t the ultimate goal of education. The fulfillment of having actualized your dreams to be someone the world needs is your goal.
Now you are back in school. It is once again a new opportunity to continue to fulfill your dreams. You have had enough distractions all these months. Now get committed to your studies.
Remain focused. You have a lot of catching up to do.
I wish you the best in your educational journey. Let us pray for the betterment of our country and our educational system. That brighter future you desire is within reach. Vote for candidates who will restore the lost values and integrity of our educational system. Become informed and vote correctly.
I wish you the best.
God bless you
Clement C. Aladi (Eduinfomark.org)
