Is Education Truly “a Scam?”

The phrase “Education is a scam” has become popular amongst Nigerian youths over the years.

Of course, there are certain groups of people that subscribe to this school of thought, which include people trying to justify their illiteracy, those who struggle academically, and those who couldn’t secure employment after graduation. However, the question we need to ask is, “Is education truly a scam?”

Some time ago, I was exposed to a video on social media where a host interviewed two women. They were asked various questions, but the one that piqued my curiosity was when they were asked to choose between half a million and 950,000. Surprisingly, they chose half a million.

Naturally, I was appalled at their answer. If we examine the world of social media today, there are numerous videos like this everywhere. Personally, when I see these videos, they reinforce the fact that school or education is definitely not a scam.

It is vital to note the difference between literacy, education and schooling. Literacy is the ability to read and write, while education is acquiring knowledge. Schooling, on the other hand, is education received at school. Literacy is also used in measuring a person’s level of education. There is need to consider the fact that people do not know the difference between these three; hence, they join in chanting the slogan. School might be a scam in the sense that it might not work for everyone, but education is definitely not a scam. Education can be received anywhere, anytime and by anyone.

In the world we find ourselves today, there is need for education. The success of an individual, to a large extent, depends on the necessary knowledge he or she has been able to acquire.

Lack of education is so apparent in the social media world today. It has even got to the point where ignorance is being celebrated. They come online, well dressed, looking flamboyant and mess up intellectually with no form of remorse.

However, what most people fail to realize is the fact that an educated person will always be distinguished from an uneducated person, and he (an educated person) is usually respected everywhere he finds himself. When we see these people (uneducated people) embarrassing themselves on social media, we tend to be appalled and disrespect them. This is more so in cases where they exhibit indifference to their predicament.

In conclusion, education is definitely not a scam; consequently, we should strive to take advantage of every opportunity we get to acquire knowledge, be it in school or other places of learning. We should always remember education makes a difference.