Important Notice: This article
was not written to cause any mayhem/havoc to anyone, school and the country at
large.
Nowadays, ask a
genuine average Nigerian University Student that is in 300/400 level about what
he/she wants to graduate with when leaving the higher institution? The ones
that are more enlightened will say, let them just struggle to have a 2:1 (Second
class upper) or even a 2:2 (Second class lower). While others who want the fame
and see the rewards of their hard work will rather say they require a first
class result.
Many federal universities are
victims of this and one of the major factors is due to ASUU strike which
happens to them. When ASUU goes on strike, it affects students in such a way
that the plans they have will be affected.
Having made research on this
topic, important factors have been highlighted that affects the orientation
that students have about having a first class grade. And they are;
1.
Expected
outcome
I could
remember vividly when a friend of mine told me;
“Did you know
that when a student graduates with a first class result from the higher
institution, it is expected by the society to get the very best from him/her,
and when the person fails to give his/her best (i.e. finding solutions to
challenging problems), his/her first class result will be concluded useless by
the society then several assumptions like; maybe he/she bought that first class
degree or he/she was privileged to get it in a chance. But someone who
graduated with a 2:1 or a 2:2, as we all know, the society is expecting less
from them (as they think they were not serious when they were in school). But
if by any means the individual should find a remarkable/unprecedented solution
to a problem, the society will be surprised at that and will want to honor
him/her above that person who had a first class result and cannot prove it?”
Hmmmmm… There
is this Yoruba saying which was formulated by Nigerian students which goes like
this “Eni ti o mo way lo mo we” meaning “Only the ones that knows
the way knows book” and I presume that quote is only applicable in Nigeria. The “way” in this scenario is referred to as
“connection(s)”, which means it is
only when you have the right connections that you know the real “book” (I just hope you understand how it
goes). Therefore, there is a kind of phobia in the minds of students about
obtaining a first class result from the higher institution.
2.
Stories
of Great people
Education wise,
where do you think the founder of Facebook, Microsoft, and Apple stopped? Steve
Jobs the cofounder of apple went to Reed
College somewhere in Oregon, and he could not carry on and dropped out, he
explained his struggle in that college in his very well-known speech at
Stanford. Also, Bill gate who was the founder of Microsoft was a drop out from
Harvard University and he opened a shop in Mexico where he sells what he loves
interest in doing (not related to Microsoft). Lastly, Mark Zuckerberg the
originator of the most popular social media, Facebook, went to a private
school, apparently he is also privileged and as well as extremely smart person.
In Harvard days he with 3 to 4 other class mates started this web of a thing
for small things for Harvard students as a social site, and got expelled from
the college because of certain clash with Harvard policies.
Therefore
students don’t actually believe that it is until you graduate with a first
class result before you can be a success. Try to read
“Why C students usually end up being the most successful”.
3.
Social
events around them
This is the
most disturbing issue that student face. The activities that are happening on
the social media have deviated the attentions of the students and have greatly
reduced their interests towards academics. For instance, the Big Brother Naija
(#BBN) that was held few months ago which the winner went home with a sum of
25million naira compared with the best graduating student in a Nigerian
university (name withheld for specific
reasons) was given a sum of 10,000 naira only (but she was later appreciated with a sum of 500,000naira). Now
come to think of it, of what benefit it is to go to school and waste some
precious time studying and at the end of it all, the person will be appreciated
with a little token? It is not by any means encouraging. (This is left to the government to restructure their educational policies
to suit the students).
4.
Late
to seat up
Lol…. This is
common to 300/400 level students. The thing is that, they actually entered
these levels with a very low CGPA and they realized that even if they have 5.00
as GPA in the current level (or semester), it won’t still take them to a first
class. They therefore relent on pursing that first class but work towards
having a next better option to a first class i.e. may be a 2:1 or 2:2 (This tells you that for your building to stand
firm, your foundation has to be rigid).
5.
Absence
of honor by reputable companies
Even many reputable companies in
the world today are not interested in first class candidates, but they are
interested in the ones that will bring about positive changes/ development to the
firm (maybe through ideas, hardwork etc.)
Feel free to add yours.............
Titiloye Timothy, David Ojo
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