NIGERIA's EMPHASIS ON PAPER QUALIFICATION: INCURRING NATIONAL LOSSES
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| 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.
E-mail:
uzoigwechimezie92@yahoo.com.
