Pursuing Quality Education In The 2026/2027 Academic Session -By Daniel IGHAKPE

“What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the soul.” -Joseph Addison, 1711.

EDUCATION is of great importance. A good education prepares people to cope successfully with life in today’s society. It equips them with academic skills, including the ability to read and write well and to do arithmetic. Moreover, it affects their interaction with others and helps them build up wholesome standards of morality. Education holds the key to a better life.

Also, as human society becomes even more complex, a good education takes on greater importance. Education should help people become useful members of society. It should also help them develop an appreciation of their cultural heritage and live more satisfying lives. Everyone deserves to be properly equipped with the necessary skills required for them to function effectively in the world.

A successful education should also foster in children the joy of living and help them to take their place in society as well-balanced individuals. The choice of activities outside the classroom is also very important. Healthy relaxation, music, hobbies, physical exercise, visits to libraries and museums, all play an important part in a balanced education.

Also, because of new technology, the job market is constantly changing. As a result, many youngsters will have to work in areas or in trades in which they have had no specific training. That being the case, their work habits and personal training, in particular, their ability to adapt to change, will be even more valuable to them. Accordingly, it is better that students become adults having, as Renaissance essayist Montaigne expressed it, ‘a well-made head rather than a well-filled head.’

Furthermore, in a country like Nigeria where formal employment opportunities are limited, fostering entrepreneurial mindsets through the incorporation of vocational education and training into the school curriculum can ultimately serve to create a more self-sufficient workforce and reduce dependency on government jobs. Incorporating vocational subjects into our education curriculum helps to equip students with essential skills that can help them to become more creative, innovative, and practical-oriented in their learning and endeavours. This can help them to not only thrive in the job market but also emerge as employers of labour, thereby contributing to the reduction of the rate of unemployment and in effect, poverty in Nigeria.

It is also vital that schools (both private and public) have the necessary resources needed to teach vocational studies in their schools. These may include things like: farm space, farm implements, sewing machines and other necessary infrastructural resources. It is also important that parents, educators, and even the government recognize the relevance of scholars studying vocational subjects/courses. Vocational education/training can help students to discover and develop their latent hidden talents and potential. It provides students with life skills that can help them become productive entrepreneurs, as it breeds creative and innovative ideas. And in the long run, it also impacts on the economy and increases personal freedom.

There is also a need for the government to collaborate with the private sector. Vocational education necessitates stronger partnerships between schools and industries to ensure that students gain valuable real-world experience. Companies can provide internships, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training, thereby helping students transition smoothly from school to the workforce.

Many people feel that the main purpose of education is to earn money. However, some educated people are unemployed or do not earn enough money to meet basic needs. This may cause some parents to think that it is not beneficial to send a child to school. But it is good to note that schooling does more than prepare someone to make money. Education equips an individual for life in general. However, even for children who attend school, there still exist some challenges that can hinder the child from receiving proper education. These challenges include: overcrowded classrooms, which make learning difficult; the absence of suitable learning facilities due to poor funding; a poorly remunerated and therefore unhappy teaching staff; and so on. Therefore, it is important that parents take active interest in what their children are learning at school. They should get acquainted with the teachers, especially at the beginning of each term. They could ask for the teacher’s advice on how the children can become better pupils/students. The teachers may thus feel appreciated and motivated to make a greater effort to meet the educational needs of the children.

To deal successfully with the above -mentioned challenges, other sectors of society, such as the private sector, media, and community can support the efforts of the government by providing aids and grants to educational institutions, building new classroom blocks in public schools, donating educational infrastructure such as school furniture, textbooks, libraries, etc. Some private organisations and individuals could even identify some less-privileged out-of-school children, verify them, and sponsor their education.

A good education is one of the greatest assets that we can ever invest in for our future. So, let us all join hands together to ensure a good education for all!

Mr. Daniel IGHAKPE.
(A Schoolteacher at St. Jude’s Private Schools, FESTAC Town, Lagos – https://www.sjps.sch.ng).
ighakpe.dan@gmail.com.
0913-739-3829.