Today there is high awareness about tertiary education. This is justified by unprecedented large number of students seeking admission into our tertiary institutions. This number greatly exceeds the available admission openings in the schools.
For example in the 2012/2013 admission process, 1,503,889
candidates registered for JAMB and according
to NUC, only 500,000 of these 1.5 million
candidates were tipped to gain admission into
the various Nigerian tertiary institutions. Now
tell me, what will then happen to the
remaining 1,003,889. This number keep increasing everyday.
These days every parent who can afford it, want their children to attain tertiary education. But, let us look at it critically.
Is tertiary education compulsory for every one? Does all career path need to acquire tertiary education? Do developed countries ensure that all their citizens attain tertiary education? The sincere answers to these questions will really do justice to this topic being discussed.
The ability to know your career or destiny is very important in determining whether you need tertiary education or not. This is because some students ended up spending five years studying a course which does not help in achieving their destiny. Some students drop out of school to pursue their dream as against the wish of their parents. Why waste resources and time in the first place?
It is also true that some students does not have the intellectual development to cope with. tertiary education. A student who cannot pass the school certificate examination, and Jamb does have business being in tertiary institutions. What do see, some them gains through short cuts such examination malpractice and bribery. These set of students perform poorly and most times frustrated out of school.
While tertiary education is important, most career path can be achieved successfully with secondary education, skills acquisition and others informal education sources. The secondary education should be repositioned to fulfill her mandate.
Therefore, before enrolling for tertiary education, one should ask these questions :- am I fit intellectually for it? Will it be needed for my destiny actualization? Putting into consideration the large pool of the unemployed graduates, attention should be shifted from paper qualification to skill and technological advancement, this will enhance self employment and job creation. Why look for job when you can create one.
Scarce resources should not waisted on tertiary education. Tertiary education should be meant for those who actually need it.