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NIGERIA's EMPHASIS ON PAPER QUALIFICATION: INCURRING NATIONAL LOSSES


Columnist: Daniel, Uzoigwe Chimezie

In recent times, we have become used to the fact that our  graduates find it extremely difficult to participate in job selection interviews These graduates lose employment opportunities due to the back-aching requirements stipulated by employers of labour in their job advertisements.
Indeed, what is must disturbing is the discrimination against job seekers with grades in the field of study directly related to these vacancies. In essence, to graduate with a not-too-good certificate such as a third class degree virtually renders one unemployable in the nation’s labour market. In most cases, employers of labour do not bother to conduct practfical tests and interviews to evaluate the candidates. Rather, people with highly-rated certificates are given jobs outright while those who do not carry such certificates are not given the opportunity to prove their worth. In fact, basing the assessment and judgment of a graduate on mere paper qualification has become the rule rather than the exception. The society is already paying for this ugly development. Most of the products of our educational institutions parade mind-blowing certificates and degrees but are really half-baked and empty-headed. In fact, this ugly situation is partly responsible for the systemic failure in service delivery in all facets of our national economy. Moreover, due to undue emphasis on paper qualifications, our students, who have embraced indolence rather than hardwork are even readier to engage in shady and shoddy deals to obtain good degrees and certificates.

Recent studies have shown that students with poor degrees and certificates have excelled even better than those parading themselves with mind-blowing certificates. This is not surprising as good degrees and certificates have become major trade items in our so-called Ivory towers.
Regrettably too, many brilliant students with positive ideals and uncompromising stance have become victims of the bad eggs in our educational system. Hence, to a large extent, the so-called degrees and certificates have become elements of camouflage and do not represent the true personality and capability of most graduates.

To stem this ugly trend, standard examinations and interviews should be evenly conducted for all job seekers. Let as many as that are interested in a job, who has the necessary qualification, within the needed field of study be given the opportunity to prove their suitability for the position. Emphasis should be on skillfulness and competence. Anything contrary to this should be treated as counter-productive in the new spirit of transformation. Our Society is set on the path of destruction if it continues to favour masqueraders and 'paraders of 'Oluwole certificates as distinguished columnist, Mr Femi Adesina would prefer to put it.

Daniel, Uzoigwe Chimezie  is at present a final year Student of Economics and Statistics in the University of Benin. 07066223635.