By Olakunle Agbola – It was attested that in 1960 Sudan had the same GDP as South Korea’s, and Zaire’s was the same as that of Taiwan. East Asian countries faced economic ruin as a result of the Second World War and the effects lingered for over a decade. Internal armed conflicts also reduced social development within countries in the region and eroded development gains achieved before the Second World War. Decades later, however, while other regions pulled ahead, you begin to wonder why the living standards in many African countries have waned.
Experts have tackled Africa’s development challenge and elaborated various theories to identify the core of the issue. The reality remains that education is the bedrock of any nation that is going to be successful. Africa ought not to fall bait of development if education is seen as the continent’s need.
There is now sufficient evidence that indicates that investments in education may have significantly contributed to the economic growth of many Asian countries, particularly the East Asian countries which are also commonly referred to as the High-performing Asian Economies.
Industrialization played a central role in the development of these countries. Education in turn fueled the growth of industrialization by supplying to industries, an abundant supply of young skilled workers. This ought to be the current reality in most African countries.
What are the challenges of education in Africa and why is the situation different compared to the Asian Economies?
Peter Ariyo, a British educationist thinks that there has been an investment uptick in African education but has been largely inadequate when compared to the needs on the continent.
“Access to quality and affordable education remains a privilege on the continent and the education system is not aligned with the development aspirations of most countries. Furthermore, the dropout rate remains high on the continent and students are not necessarily learning when we feel they are in school.
With a growing population and high poverty levels, education could level the playing field and enable every African to participate in the continent’s development.
This is the secret of East Asian leaders who focused majorly on human capital as their most important resource. They, therefore, focused on primary and secondary education”
Most countries that have industrialized have undergone a period where vocation education was a priority in their education system. African Church Comprehensive School Ikere- Ekiti was once on a map of blending vocational studies with practical education in the 60s up to early 80s. This was a school that became so popular and the model by late Chief Oyewole Jegede who was the founding principal could have liberated Africa, turn around the economy, and change the face of education.
Dayo Ojo, who was a student of African Church Comprehensive School Ikere- Ekiti during the time of Principal Oyewole Jegede reminiscenced his experience.
“A school without failure as it is popularly called (African Church Comprehensive School Ikere- Ekiti) had a huge and great influence on me and till today. There is barely anything I could not do with my hands. There were several vocational classes in the school and you must go through one or two before leaving college. I focused on bricklaying and shoemaking while I learned other things. I have left (ACCS) for more than four decades now and I can boldly tell you that I have not bought any shoes apart from the ones I made myself.
Also, I am an accomplished architect today but that could not have been made possible if I didn’t experience practical education or found myself in bricklaying vocational training in my secondary school. I sustained myself through shoemaking and bricklaying while it became so easy to navigate through the university coming from a very humble background. Late Chief Jegege believed nobody is useless and if you cannot perform well in academics, you will do well learning through any of the vocational training. I have seen a practical education at work and I feel this is the missing gap in the curriculum.
A vocational program is a type of post-secondary education that trains students for a specific line of work. A hallmark of vocational education is that, it focuses on hands-on knowledge rather than theoretical learning. This differentiates vocational schools from conventional tertiary education, which is more academic, and less job-focused. Africa needs a blend of vocational training and academics in all secondary schools and this is where the model of late Chief Jegede could perform a miracle of comprehensive education with a major focus on what you can do with your hands”
Education is not a panacea for economic development. Nevertheless, quality education in a nation is a multiplier effect in the sense that it enhances productivity and levels the playing field for most people. African Church Comprehensive College Ikere -Ekiti had a model of practical and inclusive education during the time of late Chief Oyewole Jegede and this could be imbibed to provide a targeted and efficient education that is in line with national development goals.
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