Kampala, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled onto the keynote speech delivered at Uganda’s Makerere University Business School (MUBS), by one Mr Patrick Bitature, a Ugandan businessman, entrepreneur and author.
Mr Bitature believed to be the second-wealthiest Ugandan after Sudhir Ruparelia, seems to be post knowledge, at 62 years of age, he appears to be in his early 50s, but Mr Bitature knows our future, far better than most of us do.
In his speech, Mr Bitature emphasized everything else from being the best worker you can possibly be, to trying and pushing beyond one’s comfort zone.
Having a positive mindset and looking over everything; what do most Ugandan youth look at when they graduate?
Picture this, Stephen Tumusiime finished school, and like a viral YouTube video, he hits the streets for job hunting. With lots of enthusiasm, Mr Tumusiime knocks on every respectable employment option you can ever imagine. First in his line of study, then in those that he has heard that his friends have successfully made it.
Tumusiime’s shoes wear out, He gets frustrated and decides to seek and do any job. Unfortunately, the ‘anything project’ also goes sour; his fate turns out to be the same.
Every single job in the job section seems to require hefty years of experience, or worse still, an MBA or some post graduate, (insert whatever) as an added advantage.
Mr Tumusiime being an elite person, and in this computer era with vast opportunities in the academia world, he decides to seek further education.
A full scholarship with everything paid, Tumusiime escapes the real pain that the world throws at him.
While it’s true on a logical level that he seeks more knowledge, this begs the question, what for?
Now Mr Tumusiime has taken and preferred the more lamented approach to acquire a post basic knowledge.
For others, the choice is quite made easy; parents, schools and educationists push for this absurd flow of life and education.
With the excuse of thinking well, the current level of education is not enough, so they need more to have a competitive age, so as to stand qualified above the rest.
The search for the fix, hours of wasted time, that could be channeled in more productive ventures, and sucking the marrow out of life through life experiences.
On average, one takes over two decades to pursue formal education; that is an average of over 15 years to be precise.
The duration varies though, for me, it took 20 years. In fact, another one or two years wouldn’t be so bad after all.
If you would compare your consumption in terms of period in formal education, yes, it is quite a petty period to say the least.
Think about this, after 20 years of schooling, assuming you have had ten effective years of study, that’s a lot of hours.
To be sure, you wouldn’t know how many models, subjects, modules, lessons and chapters you have attended. By your reaction, anyone can tell, they are plenty.
I will not wish going into the different subject matter that springs from the integrating knowledge, from different study periods.
You may be so desperate to tell me that after those very many years of study, you gained nothing, like totally nothing?
As I had stipulated above in this article, 20 years of possibilities, on the importance of education, it is not how many facts of the subject matter you can spew, rather how you are able to use that. It’s all about what you have acquired.
Know how to create and utilize value, and this will propel you to make a way through life.
As one of my friends always uses the phrase “delaying the inevitable,” you may go study rocket science or whatever, but yes, you shall come back on earth and do whatever you have to do.
Read Also: Uganda’s education: is it worth it?
Experience the concrete jungle by doing and understanding its mechanics and logistics.
It is for the fact that, less studied people are more indispensable at work compared to the learned ones.
Want to challenge that? Try viewing the efficiency of diploma holders compared to the degree ones.
While I like well-studied round people, it doesn’t need to take you off what you are supposed to do.
Have a productive life, and not passive and knowledge sucking mass of flesh.
The only exception, you cannot master something before you experience it. Only pursue masters or a post graduate, only if you have a solid career going for you, and its purpose is to enhance growth and development.
Nothing matters if you read all the books in the world, and you can’t add value to the world.
