The real power of knowledge

‘Sometimes you can be a real idiot when it comes to women,” the lovely Snapdragon said when I told her of yet another one that got away.

This time the story was about a much-regretted attempt to look cool somewhere in my second year at university.

I was on my way to class when I saw a girl standing next to her car. Her Mazda had a flat tyre and I stopped to help – that is, after all, the way my mother brought me up.

She had raindrops in her big, frizzy ’80s hairdo. My hormonal 19-year-old brain was convinced she was the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen. As it did weekly with most of the girls on campus. Anyway, I changed the wheel as nonchalantly as I could.

“Thank you,” she said when I wiped my hands on my jeans. “I’m too late for class now. I’m going back to my flat for coffee.”

She looked at me meaningfully, but I didn’t know what to say. Her eyes were as green as a Tassenberg bottle and my mouth was dry.

“I don’t have money to reward you,” she said. “But if you play your cards right, I may just reward you in natura.”

I didn’t know what in natura meant, but I couldn’t let her know just how ignorant I was. “Don’t worry,” I said. “I don’t expect a reward.”

Of course I could have kicked myself when I learnt the meaning of in natura months later, but by then it was too late.

I guess it’s true what they say: knowledge empowers people.

Which brings me to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The honeymoon is over and now he has to satisfy the grumpy, moody wife that is South Africa.

The first thing I want to see him attend to, is education. Yes, I know students from poor and working-class families get free tertiary education, but our school system rolls out youths that are ill-equipped for the challenges of life and university.

International studies repeatedly show that the maths, science and reading skills of our youth are sadly insufficient. Education needs to be overhauled right from Grade 1. There is no other way to produce a youth that can contribute meaningful, knowledge-based skills to the country.

After all, knowledge empowers people.

You can miss out on some of the best things in life without it.