I've done my research about our educational system and the result shows that the decision of a lot of people to gain formal education is based on FOMO. Some people just want to gain admission to Uni because all their age grades are already in school and the person wouldn't want to be left behind and seen as someone who didn't gain a formal education.
There is also this recurring statement where people chant "School is Scam". For some reason, I wouldn't want to discredit that chant because I see the point they are trying to make. The initial thought some parents have in mind when sending their kids to gain formal education is "to make them ready for employment into big institutions".
That's why some professions end up being more highly valued than the rest. When these students spend 18-25 years chasing a particular degree to make themselves ready to land a high-paying job and become rich, the reality usually gives them a dirty slap after graduation. A lot of graduates are currently unemployed in the field they have certification for. A lot more are said to be unemployable.
I'm not one of those who blatantly calls school a scam. I also wouldn't tell anyone that gaining formal education is the key to success. What I know for a fact is that a lot of factors come into play and there are a lot of complexities at play. Of course, the devil is in the details.
From my personal experience, I've gone through formal education to University level and I have my B.Sc Certificate in Banking and Finance. I got certified in the last quarter of 2019 and I've been able to gain working experience in the Corporate world (Commercial Bank) by being a graduate of Banking and Finance.
For the record, I'm yet to pick up my Certificate from my Uni since then and I'm not yet inspired to go fetch the certificate. I just haven't seen a need for that document. The work I've been doing since the last quarter of 2020 is the type where I have to show my working experience and back it up with competent delivery in roles that I've handled. I never needed any B.Sc certificate to get into those roles.
So, it's fairly obvious in my case that I'm edging towards a path where my academic certificate doesn't add anything to my portfolio. However, truth be told; the things I learned throughout my years of study have been very relevant to my growth and career advancement so far. Make no mistake about that. I'm glad I went through formal education and I'm glad I have a B.Sc.
I plan to achieve two things through my answer to this question. The first is to make the answer as clear and as straightforward as possible. The second is to say exactly the truth about my take on the question.
At this stage in my life where I've already taken a lot of responsibility while experiencing life and everything it has to offer, I genuinely believe going for further formal education is a waste of time for me. I love learning and I'm all about that life, but I'm more interested in making money at this stage of my life. I also have no time to waste while running into debt as a student.
So, if the option I'm getting is to explore further studies in Nigeria, regardless of the course of study, my answer to that is NO. I would rather sit my ass back and use the schooling fund to do other things.
However, if I'm to get further education in some countries (outside Africa) where I can work and also study, even if it means being active 20 hours each day, I will likely use that opportunity to study forensic science and also get into practice.
Thanks For Not Missing Any Full-stop or Comma.
Thumbnail Image is taken from Pixabay
Additional Image is taken from Pixabay
