Education is beyond academic credentials
The worth of formal education can never be underrated. It has countless benefits of improving our technical skills and also increasing our prospects for a better life through employment opportunities.
In our early upbringings, parents customarily teach us social norms and values that define what is classified as right and wrong. The whole idea of such teachings is to prepare us to face the world until we move to formal schools and universities.
During ou r technical skills d e v e l o pme n t at academic institutions, we somehow have a partial principle. I am not sure what failed us in the process but I should express the fact that we, unfortunately, do not connect the purpose of going to school as a success factor not only to our academic status but also translates to our social skills.
Even though we have the credentials of a particular branch of learning, we regrettably neglect the importance of social skills. Although formal education shields us from the unemployment status and financial burdens in future, this gain can never outweigh social skills. Society does not only credit us on our academic status but also on the type of conduct we model in our communities.
Despite our academic skills, there is a lot to learn to balance when earning our degrees. This entails the layout of our public statements, how we treat people around us especially those that are below us and merely how we embrace diversity. It makes me weak to see individuals that have succeeded academically in making statements that are not considerate. We should show our education by engaging intellectually with our communities and value perspectives that are different from our own. It is a humiliation to see an educated society in some occurrences failing to accept those who are different from their groups. If we continue to distance ourselves from others because of their differences, what message are we sending out – a divided society? We should define education as the fundamental ability to think clearly, being able to relate to people of various backgrounds, interests and beliefs and have the acceptance of diversity. It should not only be about the specialised elements but also the wider and deeper insight into the contemporary world. We should confirm our educational standards without overlooking the good behavioural patterns because the quality of our education will not only be assessed through our qualifications but also our manners.
Our communities should receive all the benefits of our degrees. A society with well-educated individuals should have a higher sense of unity and trust within the community. Educated societies should lift the weak and bring a feeling of togetherness among all parts.
* Saara Meke Amakali is an Industrial Psychology and Sociology graduate.
Email her at saaraamakali@gmail.com