They Passed the Exam, But Failed at Life: Time to Change the System

I remember when I was growing up, there was a great deal of pressure put on passing exams. Everything was exam focused and was built around you memorizing textbook content, and reciting definitions word for word perfectly - and you would leave school thinking you were ready for life but only for something that did not present questions with multiple choice answers.

I can say I loved learning and I passed my exams with good marks, however, when I stepped out into the world, I realized life does not give you multiple choice answers. It gives you decision making, creativity, communication, and resiliency - which we do not teach in a direct enough way. More than ever in a world that has changed, and continues to change every year because of technology, practical life skills are not optional they are requirement.

They have become survival skills. As it stands, education systems in many African nations are failing by mostly focusing on rote learning of theory and producing students who can remember everything yet unable think critically or apply their knowledge practically. Education needs to shift dramatically. Imagine if the classroom was about merely how to solve concrete issues; starting a small business, managing finances, clearly articulating ideas, and critically assessing how to deal with a challenging situation in the real world.

Imagine students were taught how to navigate digital tools, engage and assess peer based collaboration (without teacher leading), and how to think independently. This is what employers are looking for, this is what life requires.
I have come across many young people with degrees who feel lost in the labour market, not because they aren't smart (they are) but because they never acquired the skills needed in the job market, in order words they can't apply their knowledge.

I have collaborated with school leavers who have shown extremely high levels of skill in areas such as graphic design, fashion design and plumbing - which they now all own small businesses, employing other people, building something of worth. This between the two i believe says a lot and why skills in today's world is really important. Education should be no longer focused on facts, it should focus on empowerment.

Empowering pupils to work through who they are, what they can do, how to move forward. We cannot feel we are producing graduates who can repeat theoretical concepts, accept a task and then freeze. We need to work towards developing thinkers, builders, and problem solvers. We owe this to the next generation.