Education: A Broken Promise or Fulfillment yet to be Achieved?
There seems to be a significant Theoretical — Practical gap in the education system in Nigeria. You could also call that a knowledge-action gap. It concerns me that with the rapid rise of AI Systems across the globe, the baby steps of digital innovation in Nigeria just might not be sufficient to keep pace with the rest of the world. Giant strides must be taken to catchup with the world, but how ?
Looking into the future, the literal term of Education may evolve beyond the traditional concept of a “school”. It is likely that within the next 5 to 10 years, schools will become outdated. As a result, it is crucial to begin personalizing and shaping the education of our children now, with a focus on developing key skills such as ethics, leadership, critical and independent thinking, creativity and innovation, social and soft skills, finance, economy, sustainability, and more. Unfortunately, these subjects are not always emphasized in traditional school curricula.
How can we ensure that our children are well-equipped for the challenges ahead? It is important to start exploring new approaches to education that prioritize the development of these essential skills. How do you do that? How do you prepare for a future that is fairly idealistic but not so glaring. Quite hopeful, but still scary. Envisioned, but not certain.
The AI Revolution has unstoppably begun. Digital Transformation and inclusion has transitioned from being a luxury to an absolute necessity. When we talk digital, we are not just talking about internet or technology. Digital is human needs. It encompasses all sectors; Health, Education, Payment Systems, Agriculture, Transportation, Social Economy, Technology, et al. As my father would always say ‘I got the right to be on the left’; Do not wait for rapid change to happen before seeking an alternative for your kid’s education. Would you lead now, or allow yourself to be led?
This makes me think about the recent upheaval surrounding the cashless economy policy. Regardless of the speculations about the motives for implementation, I am of the opinion that the execution was not properly implemented, and as such, even the Judiciary system could not defend the government. As highlighted by Bill Gates in his latest article The Age of AI has Begun, “Any new Technology that is so disruptive is bound to make people uneasy”. For such a sudden disruptive change, it is imperative to have an approved Law that defends the urgency of it, so that the citizens may make preparations for what to come. Another flaw is the inefficiency and unreliability of the banking system. This Policy has exposed the banking system in Nigeria as not equipped enough to handle such significant shift. No cash, no access to mobile banking, what more defines a country in chaos ?
