By Okechukwu Onwuka
Last week we started on this topic which tries to review the contradictions in attitudes and perception regarding the interplay between the supernatural and natural elements in enterprise. On the aspect of miracles and misconceptions, this week we’ll look at a practical example on Education.

At birth, we come to meet a variety of circumstances. The first miracle is that we survived the nine months of pregnancy and arrive alive. The second miracle is to have both parents alive to take care of us from infancy to young adults. Not everyone is that ‘lucky’. The third miracle is to have parents who can afford to send us to school and at the same time provide for our  basic needs in terms of food, clothing and shelter. Why do I refer to these as miracles? Simple.

They are situations that no one has control over. We had no way of choosing our parents. Neither do we have control over which country or race to be born into. We have no way of telling before our arrival in the world that education is of primary importance in the world. In other words, to have parents who can afford the bills of education is a privilege and a miracle because it is clearly outside of our control. However, outside of the paying of the school fees and other related expense of a child’s training lies another terrain entirely.

It is up to the child to learn. The responsibility for attending lectures, reading, completing homework and tutorials, sitting for exams and passing through the various levels of formal education is entirely that of the student.

No amount of love the father or mother has for the child will take away the onus of responsibility from the child. Even if both parents are academic professors, the children must face the challenge squarely. Natural or genetic intelligence or brilliance will never substitute the requirements for effort in reading, solving problems, analysis, reasoning, sitting in lectures, and the many others needed to pass or excel.

Children who are misinformed start to find out very early that exam results will always expose their lack of preparation. Poor exam performance may be countered in a number of ways by the affected families or students. The student may resort to sharp practices to ‘pass’ the exams. Sleeping with lecturers in exchange for marks.

‘Sorting’ or paying cash for exam favours or joining cult groups to intimidate lectures or force unmerited grades in exams. Smuggling pre-arranged answer scripts into exam halls, buying exam papers through the black-market, settling invigilators to facilitate ‘cooperation’ during the exam are just a few of the ways some students try to circumvent the educational process.

If the students can be excused for ignorance, for not knowing that such deviations lead to lifelong frustrations, what would be said about parents who should know better? Parents who choose to enrol their children into special exam centres where illegal processes are used to unduly enhance results of candidates? What of parents who pay cash and other incentives to teachers and school principals to influence the results of their wards.

How does one excuse parents who buy the examination papers and distribute to their children in national examinations or parents who rush to enrol their children in schools with a reputation of illegally upgrading scores of her pupils. What if the parents are those who have made their money through hard work over the years, yet decide to rob their children of the true education by pushing for a miracle where it is not needed? Students who want the marks but without the requisite effort are seeking a ‘miracle’. Although many rejoice and even hold thanksgiving parties on graduation with fake certificates, the chicken comes home to roost sooner than later.

While the parents are happy spreading the news all over regarding their children who have become graduates, several years later, with failure after failure in interviews and aptitude tests, the reality of the deceit hits home. And at these times, it is too late to start afresh. The many lifelong benefits of the educational system had been lost through the quest for success without sweat.

The tutorials, home works and tests in school have a definite purpose; to prepare students for the future rigours of life by exposing them to the practical ways of analysis, reasoning, troubleshooting, problem solving, analysis, planning and generating results given certain or prevailing constraints. When students allow themselves to pass through this disciplinary and strategic development steps, they subconsciously develop skills that prepare them for the challenges of tomorrow. With these skills, they are able to pass aptitude tests and recruitment interviews. Better still, long after the recruitment tests are over, it is the same skills that would be utilized in the work performance.

These skills are used to resolve problems at the work place and attain relevance with supervisors and managers. Students who appreciate the importance of effective and continuous learning use the same skills as employees to develop themselves, their companies and ultimately, the society. Unfortunately, many parents still don’t realize the damage that fake certificates wreck on the Nigerian enterprise and Nation. Using connections to get the jobs for the children will not cover the ineptitude that is bound to show on the job.

The young adults who have clearly missed the boat continue roaming the streets in search of jobs that do not require aptitude tests or jobs where too much competence is not demanded for fat pay. When the people who matter have collectively contrived to damage the educational system, what kind of miracle are we praying for?

That God should disregard our lack of preparation and unwillingness to work and throw down from heaven a new modern Nigeria.  When the lecturers who sell exam papers, the school principals or proprietors who arrange advance exam papers for her students/pupils, the students who buy certificates and never study, the invigilators who collect bribes to allow cheating in exam halls, the leaders who don’t care so long as they can afford to train their children overseas,…when all who contribute to this rot pray for a miracle, what are they doing? What are we doing? We are simply deceiving ourselves.

Yet we continue to wish for a miracles. Miracles to do those things which we clearly can do for ourselves.  Where will the workers who are committed and skilled come from? Where shall we obtain the manpower to run our factories, industries, businesses, Government and general enterprise when the foundation has been completely eroded? The earlier we all start making amends, the better. Miracles remain miracles. They are not meant to replace the works of our hand. We must till the ground. The promise of the Almighty God is to bless our effort and cause the ground to yield, when we plant.