Education| Income| Career| Societal transformation.
By Jude Thaddeus.
Image courtesy.
The popular YouTube channel Nas Daily in a 2020 post, has a video titled ‘University degrees are useless’. The title itself is controversial. No doubt. But not uncommon in an ongoing conversation across the globe today. From first world countries, to the third. The question increasingly being asked is — Is a University degree still worth its salt?
In that video, the founder is suggesting that employers should not rely (or probably not over rely) on degree qualifications when it comes to employing. Because, for one reason or another, talent can equally be found outside acedemic qualifications. Which is true. But if talent can be found outside academic qualifications, should that then make University degrees useless? Watching the video, I perfectly understand where he is coming from with his argument. But probably, it is the title that was a bit off — since it was a sweeping generalization. And thus this article will seek to realign this ongoing generalized debate across board.
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But first, coming closer home, in most of Sub-Sahara Africa today, there is a pandemic. The unemployment pandemic. Which has not discriminated in anyway. And has cut across from the educated, to the uneducated. But since the educated went to school with the hope of securing white collar employment at the end of it, their academic qualifications are today being termed as ‘useless’ — since white collar opportunities have considerably shrank.
Critics of University education in this part of the world have termed it to be too theoretical — yet, the job market is in need of skills. And that, ironically, it is actually those who did not proceed to university, that posses the so called needed practical skills for the job market.
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The two scenarios above bring out three assumptions. The first, is that, University education only exists as a catalyst (and the only one) to employment. And if it has not translated to employment, or is not a perfect fit for the same, then it has failed. And secondly, is that, talent and employability, were never meant to exist outside academic qualifications. And since today talent and employability can be found outside the University, then again, the degree becomes useless. And thirdly, those who advanced their education to University, don’t posses talents or skills.
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Education, and in this particular instance, University education, largely centres on the body of knowledge. And that is why the university most of the time is referred to as an ‘academic and research institution.’ It is through academia and research, that we make sense of the universe. Talents, skills, income, careers, Innovations et cetera, all then revolve around this body of knowledge. Either from within, or without the academy.
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From the time covid-19 broke out for instance, to the time vaccines became available to the World, there was a reason why selected Universities, and scholars, were involved in the processes all through. And this was simply because knowledge, and research, remained at the core of finding solutions.
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If we take the Africa experience with covid-19, plus the ‘vaccine apartheid’ debacle, we cannot fail to point out a reality. A reality that, whereas the first world countries were well equipped with their research capacity (Vaccine companies plus Universities), Africa on the other hand, was, and still is, lagging behind. And, it is this lag that is actually the cause of high unemployment rate — and not necessarily the possession of a ‘theoretical’ University degree by a job seeker.
It is a fact, that we have graduates who are qualified in the field of medical research, but because Africa is lagging behind in its capacity, they then cannot find employment. This is because the related institutions are not as robust to absorb them in. And so, they join in the statistics of the unemployed degree holders. The very same ones being accused today of being too theoretical hence their lack of employability. An excuse that African Governments have decided to peddle in order to hide their incompetence in setting up functional institutions — that can accommodate their graduates. Who are way fewer, relative to the huge populations.
Income.
Since the advent of University degrees, there has always been more non degree income / wage earners, than degree income earners. This, due to a simple reason. The non degree holders are always more in the populations. The only difference has remained the quality of income plus other associated benefits. Especially within the formal sector.
It is this pursuit for quality income and associated benefits within the formal sector, that has always made humans pursue University education as a means of securing their future financially.
But as time goes by, the informal sectors have equally grown. With quality income/ wages, plus other benefits such as saving schemes, loans, pension schemes, unionization et cetera — which traditionally were limited to the formal sector. This, making the informal sector attractive to even the University degree holders.
And so, today, we have a scenario where both the formal and informal sectors attract both the degree and non degree holders almost in equal measure. Diluting the straight jacket notion that all degree holders need to graduate into the formal sector.
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In the first world countries, we are observing today talent moving out of formal employment. In what is being referred to as ‘the great resignation’. And this talent includes both graduates and non graduates. This talent is moving into freelancing, startup founding, community organizing among other aspects of the larger gig economy.
The formal sector is being viewed as rigid, unequal, exploitative et cetera by the current younger generations. And in their quest for more freedom, they are moving into the gig world.
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Now, it is important to note that talent drives the gig world. And not necessarily academic qualifications. But knowledge in general, remains important. And this knowledge is obtained both from school, and out of school. Including social media. (And let’s remember a trusted source of knowledge on social media, most likely comes from someone who is well versed with the subject. Either through extensive experience, study or research — taking us back to the importance of academia and research as the corner stone)
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In Africa in particular, sustainable talents and gigs, tend to revolve around technology and innovation today. Whether we are talking about agriculture, or climate change, or environmental conservation, or entertainment, technology remains vital. And most of the young Africans who are spearheading some of these advancements, have higher levels of education. University degrees, being common among them.
Rarely will you find less educated African youth in such innovative and sustainable gigs. Majority of the lesser educated, will still be found in the traditional brick and motor manual labour. And as much as every society has some form of stratification — And those engaged in manual labour will always be present, economies cannot grow sustainably if manual labour remains the primary preoccupation of the vast majority - To a point where the majority are fighting for limited spaces to atleast get something, or anything, to do.
And so, African youth must be encouraged to continue advancing in their quest for more knowledge, so as to improve the overall status of the Continent.
If they choose to settle for less education and knowledge, then they should prepare themselves for unending exploitation. Whether from local elites, or from foreign players.
Career.
Most careers are established out of income generating activities. And sustainable income generating activities, lead to sustainable careers. Some other careers are borne out of passion. Or the need to effect societal change.
The world today is at a point where new careers are mushrooming everyday, everywhere. Thanks to the fourth industrial revolution.
Traditional careers are being modified. And ways of engagement digitized. So much so that your academic field of study, does not necessarily box you into a pre determined career. One should always be able to adjust and adopt. But that is not to mean your academic field of study was of no use.
As traditional careers get modified. So does their respective academic fields. If one’s Career is in agriculure, they cannot assume the effects of technology in that field. And hence, there is no harm if they enhance their capacity with further technological knowledge and skills to boost their agricultural career. But that is not to mean now that their agricultural knowledge is only theoretical and thus not important. Their agricultural knowledge is actually the primary asset to the overal success of that sector. And they should not in no way be made to feel that they should now switch from an agriculturalist to a tech innovator.
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What is worrying in Africa when it comes to careers, is that, formal careers are not expanding, and the vast majority of the populations are left to rely on manual labor for daily wages.
The lack of expansion is more of a result of systemic institutional failures, rather than individuals’ talents and creativity.
And thus, it is the failures, limitations, challenges, hopes and aspirations of various societies in the World today, that are to be addressed by a combination of education, incomes, careers through what we now refer to as Societal transformation.
Societal transformation.
What are some of the challenges in the World today? And how can they be addressed? What are the aspirations of the many people in the world today? And how can they be achieved?
Is it addressing global poverty? Climate change? Widening (income) inequity? Food security? Health? Human rights and Governance?
What does the World want to address today? Or in the (near) future? And how?
What will be the role of education / knowledge? Especially among the young populations?
Most of these questions are answered through education / knowledge and research. Whether this knowledge is achieved through formal schooling structures, or through other means - Education remains critical.
And thus, just the same way education has been observed as a universal human right by the universal declaration on human rights, Countries need to observe and treat it in a similar manner.
Education as a human right simply means it should be able to be accessed, and utilized by that who can least afford it. Therefore, Countries, such as those in the first world, should rethink their costs of education. Since unaffordability excludes a vast majority of their populations. Third world countries too, need to ensure not just access to schools, but also relevance with both their environments and changing times globally.
If for instance, Agriculture is termed as Africa’s backbone, how then is food security, climate change, environment conservation, technology, among others, harmonized in such a manner that enables Africa’s growing populations contribute to the advancement of agriculture from their various fields / future careers?
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The debate about university degrees should therefore not arise. Because, Countries need to ensure university degrees work for all. And not just for the students graduating to secure jobs, but for the knowledge generated to positively impact the larger society.
From a Governance perspective, a Country needs to have the end in mind when it takes its young population through school. For instance, in the next fifteen years, what contribution are youth clearing school supposed to be impacting the Country with? Will they be medical researchers to help combat health pandemics? Will they be agricultural researchers to help secure the Continents food security? How then does the Country tailor its education system to achieve that? And how then does the Country prepare its institutions and infrastructure to receive these young ones.
Because at the end of the day, a Country is taking its young ones through school for its own benefit.
About the author;
Jude Thaddeus is an Entrepreneur, a Sociopolitical Commentator / Strategist, Author, and Team Lead @ Brave Politics.
