In Germany, the dual education system is so highly regarded, having been credited as a major catalyst to the nation taking its seat at the top of the industrial tree. It is worth noting that about fifty per cent of all school leavers in Germany participate in this program.
I am hard pressed to think of a better way to industrialize our nation. For how long will we continue to depend on expatriates who seldom transfer their technical knowledge and expertise to their Nigerian colleagues? The “importation” of foreign nationals who have never seen the four walls of a university to head Nigerians who’ve acquired a list of degrees as long as their arm has long become common practice. Can’t we see something desperately wrong with this picture?
A lady friend once informed me that she doesn’t recall taking part in many practical experiments throughout her sojourn at a highly rated Nigerian university. STEM, the practical integration and application of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, where art thou? For my lady friend it was all theory, theory and yet more theory. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Physics. Little to no practical knowledge. Need I say more?
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One of the many things I love about this dual education system, at least the way it’s practiced in Germany, is that all the technical vocations are regulated by the relevant guilds that is The Chamber of Industry and Commerce or The Chamber of Crafts and Trades. These guilds set the standard for training, testing and certification which remain the same throughout the country. What this means is that on completion of his program a graduate will receive a certificate employers can trust. When taking on an employee, employers have confidence his certificate can vouch for his technical competence. It signifies his attainment of the required practical standard in addition to his academic qualification. This is why you won’t find wonky doorways, staircases or buildings in Germany. Their own version of our “Freedom” is standardized. Nigeria is notoriously standard less. Please pardon if there’s no such word but I’m sure you get my drift. Of course this system is not by any means limited to vocations linked to the building industry alone as the list of programs offered is almost endless. It currently stands at about 360 training programs. They are so varied too, ranging from the very specialized field of mechatronics which includes a combination of mechanical engineering, electronics, computer engineering, telecommunications engineering, systems engineering and control engineering to vocations concerning the building industry, physics, motor mechanics, retail trading, commerce, nursing and even hairdressing. You can imagine just how much our economy would benefit from students getting hands-on experience in these varied fields from day one and the upside of such trainees hitting the ground running once they become full-fledged employees. The potential is mind boggling.
Getting a university certificate is not the be all and end all. Why not develop those who will create jobs?
Getting a university certificate is not the be all and end all. Why not develop those who will create jobs? Should it not give one more joy and pride to give one’s child the appropriate training thereby enabling him to create a good source of income for himself and even become an employer of labour than to acquire degrees only to spend countless years roaming the streets in search of a job. For want of a better term, this is a no brainer.
I know it’s a gargantuan task to change people’s mind-set therefore it will definitely require a robust and very deliberate media enlightenment campaign to make meaningful inroads on this. This will require a blitz using multiple mediums such as the electronic and print media, bill boards and even the partnership of our very robust and influential entertainment industry. Nollywood films, both in English and in different tribal languages could be made to drive the message home in a way everyone will understand. After all, we are all stakeholders in the Nigerian project and we all stand to benefit immensely if and when it succeeds.
It is essential that people be adequately enlightened to see the benefits and that’s why it’s crucial one employs means that will “reach” them as it were. This may further necessitate the use of publications and radio programs in Pidgin English in addition to the various tribal languages. One must just connect with them. Importantly too, such a campaign should condition our minds to focus more on the things that matter and concern ourselves less with how we look or how things may look. This way, parents can steer their children in the direction that will most help them and prepare them for a bright future.
The children too need to see vocational training as a worthy path to take. They must be made to see its worth and that doesn’t in any way mean they are inferior as it’s instrumental value is priceless. If we agree the purpose of education is not just for intrinsic value; not just to make you feel clever, which benefits no-one, including yourself, but to develop and prepare you to become a valuable citizen; contributing your own quota by way of your new found enlightenment to both the advancement and wellbeing of the society, then it behoves us all to talk to those within our sphere of influence so we can change our nation, even if it’s only one mind at a time.
Just as the wearing of glasses neither indicates one’s level of achievements nor empowers one to achieve, merely possessing a University degree does not in any way guarantee the holder success or fulfilment in life. My grandmother’s ignorance, God bless her, can be excused on the grounds of illiteracy but what would be our excuse? Let us learn from this quote:
“Everybody’s a genius but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid.”
