Are we giving best possible education to our youth?

What you need to know:

  • A good education system must, therefore, be one that focuses on producing citizens whose outlook to life is given to respecting themselves, others and the property that belongs to others as well as the environment they live in.
  • In recent times, some people have asked questions about the quality of work that is being done by our institutions of higher learning and, therefore, casting doubt on the quality of graduates they are producing.

The other day I read a story about some young “professionals” who had been working for some big corporate but who had since left their jobs under very dubious circumstances.

In the story they were being accused of unprofessional conduct that added up to serious fraud involving very large amounts of money.

As one who is directly involved in the formation of young people in an institution of learning, I could not help but give serious thought to this matter. I felt quite challenged about the kind of education we are imparting on our younger generations.

As far as I understand, a good education should involve not just passing on of skills and knowledge but rather a wholesome effort that aims at forming an integrated human person who is guided by moral and spiritual values that guide his or her perception.

A good education system must, therefore, be one that focuses on producing citizens whose outlook to life is given to respecting themselves, others and the property that belongs to others as well as the environment they live in. It must aim at inculcating values of justice, rule of law, hard work and productivity for the good of all.
WORKING SMART

Talking of hard work, I have been told severally by some of our students that these days we do not talk about working hard. They say that the modern idea is to “work smart”. Could it be that the fellows in the story I read were “working smart”? This brings me back to my big question.

In the next two weeks, we here at our university will be graduating a few thousand young people.

After we graduate them, we shall then let them lose into the job market. What kind of workers will they be? Will they work hard guided by some ethics and morals or will they be people who only “work smart”?

In recent times, some people have asked questions about the quality of work that is being done by our institutions of higher learning and, therefore, casting doubt on the quality of graduates they are producing.

They have expressed concern over the quality of lecturers, facilities, over-commercialisation of education and a lot more. Could there be some sense in what they are saying? Whether or not there is, one cannot deny the fact that higher education – quality or no quality – has become more available than it used to be.

The question of quality in education must of course never be compromised and those who do so are not good for this country. It is, therefore, incumbent upon all stake holders to come out and address this question honestly and with the best interests of future generations.Father Wamugunda is Dean of Students, University of Nairobi; [email protected]