Do our schools prepare children for the real life
PAUL R. ARUHO


Dan Muganzi (not real name) finished a course from the University in social works and social administration. He walked the streets of Kampala for three years combing for a job in vain. He ran back home in Bushenyi to his disappointed parents and asked his father to buy him a car to do special hire. His father didn’t take him serious, but seeing the graveness on his face he did that for him. He is among the lucky ones who have parents that can do that for him. Dan is now a special hire driver in Bushenyi town and he looks happy.

There are many youths out there doing the jobs they never trained in. One wonders whether our schools prepare children for the real world these days.

You will agree with me that the world has changed but the education system has remained static. Children spend years in an antiquated educational system-studying subjects they will never use, preparing for that, that no longer exist.

Many parents have been disappointed after paying expensively for their children’s education and when they finish, they cannot find the jobs.

David Mafabi a secondary schoolteacher and journalist say that lack of career guidance in schools is leading students to courses that will not help them in future.
“You find a person taking mass communication without knowing the demands of the course,” Mafabi says.

These days the dangerous advise you can give a child is ‘go to school, get good grades and look for a safe secure job’. This has become old advice and it is bard. We have seen many people who were mediocres in school but now they are managing huge businesses and very well.

Dr. Ahemd K. Ssengendo the Rector of Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) says that the education being given to students is not purposely for jobs, but an eye opener for them to look far into the future.
He advises students that instead of roaming in Kampala they should go back home and develop their villages.

It is foolish to assume that the education the school system provides will prepare your child for the world they will face after graduation. Each child needs more education, different education and they need to know the rules. A child today needs a sophiscated education. We all know that education is the foundation of success. There is need to provide skills that are virtually important in regard to financial and communication oriented.

We study to get money, acquire wealth and live a good life. But do the subjects studied at school prepare our children for this? Getting good education and good grades no longer assures success. Everybody should notice that and let the children know. Good grades were of long time ago when governments provided jobs.
Dr. S. K Simba a lecturer at Makerere University in the department of political science and public administration once wrote that the researched data to show that people with high academic qualifications tend to be better leaders compared to those with low qualifications does not exist. (Daily Monitor 24th Jan 2006)
That is why even president Museveni rarely considers academic qualifications in his appointments.

The ministry of education is coming up to boast technical schools. A lot of support is needed especially from every Ugandan either rich or poor. We need to support practical and science subjects in schools to make sure our children are given the required skills. However much expensive these subjects could be, let everybody do his or her best in regard to supporting practical subjects in our school.

Giving our children the same advice our parents gave us years back is poisonous. The world around us has changed but the advice has not. It is disastrous for those of us born into a rapidly changing world.

It is for real; our schools no longer prepare the children for the real world a head of them. We need to change this.

Contact: paul202us@yahoo.com
0782 386 463