Educational Issues
Strive Beyond The Class Room: First Class Doesn’t Guarantee Success -By Peter Adoyi
So many things have changed over time. The approach to job recruitment in the 60s is far different from what’s being practiced today. In this contemporary world, employers often request for recommendations without minding your class of degree. Interaction with any Human Resource officer would give you a hint about job recruitment.
We all at some point being encouraged by parents to go to the university, acquire a good grade, then look for high-paying jobs. This is exactly the dream of every Nigerian. It’s a good thing anyway. But then we can not undervalue the real essence of life after graduation i.e life beyond the class. Until we put this in our perspective, the supposed First Class graduands would continue to suffer distress that may increase the unemployed youths in our society.
Life ambitions differ from person to person. Individual differences and personal desires also play a vital role in one’s pursuit of success. Thus, restraining one’s success to good grades is not always feasible. “What counts the most is the ‘Skill’ and ‘Technology’ based knowledge.” The realistic approach to being successful in life is to acquire a ‘streetwise’ knowledge. Knowing how things work outside the school, irrespective of your grade; is the way to go. Being a First Class graduate does not make you, having the full knowledge of the society and your ability to solve societal problems. Of course, your parents would be proud of the result, no doubt.
To put things in perspective, it is more rewarding to have a balanced life. The living culture outside the classroom is what distinguishes us, not the grade we acquired. Unfortunately, attaining high grades is viewed as a means to find a lucrative job and future accomplishment. Certainly not! This school of thought has posed a devastating blow to many First Class graduates roaming around the street, searching for non- existing job. A visit to federal agencies and ministries would convince you that majority of the staff doesn’t even have a university degree to start with. Nature would always play its part.
University is more like a crowded sourcing environment. You network with people; with different experiences and ideas. This nurtures your ability to salvage and navigate through life after graduation which is also regarded as post- NYSC life. It is so difficult to see one out of 100 that exercise these techniques throughout their stay at the university. Hence, cause the explosive unemployment rate in society. The worst frustration behold people in this category after the National Youth Service Year – NYSC because they rely more on the 2.1 grade written on their certificate, while the Cs students are busy networking and scribing business ideas to fall back on.
It is one thing to memorize and regurgitate information, and another is to solve life problems. It is an irrefutable fact that anyone who can concentrate on cramming and regurgitate lecture notes can invariably bag A’s or B’s.
However, this essay is not written to justify poor academic performance. We must be factual and as well understand how life is outside the classroom.
Without prejudice, one has to put the certificate at one hand and face the reality of life to survive. Therefore, the need to embrace self-development and skill acquisition is paramount. Most successful and wealthy individuals in the society aren’t First Class nor Second Class degrees holder.
On the contrary, it is always good to equip oneself for any eventuality as scholarships are one of the merit base interest of people in the First Class or Second Class category. When nature works in your favor, you would definitely make ‘skyway’ with good grades. The job market is saturated, hence the need for competition. In this growing population, this opportunity is not almost there.
Moreso, so many things have changed over time. The approach to job recruitment in the 60s is far different from what’s being practiced today. In this contemporary world, employers often request for recommendations without minding your class of degree. Interaction with any Human Resource officer would give you a hint about job recruitments.
Lastly, having a good grade is good but it’s not enough. But having a ‘Streetwise’ knowledge of the society is the way to go. A First Class students should be humble enough to put the certificate aside and blend with the society and the ‘Street’ in other to survive, relying on a class of degree is a devastating journey in the Nigerian society.
