The Loop Of Education

Generally, justifiably or not we believe that the Americans, Asians and Europeans are educated than us not because it is a derivative of one-on-one mapping. Rather it is because of their educational system. What about their educational system? Read on. As a species, survival in the environment of challenges is our primary aim. All else is secondary. That requires knowledge. But for man among other creatures, if it is knowledge, then it is never a given. Man must create knowledge within which to withstand the challenges. Given this, let us analyze our higher educational system against this background.

For the Polymath, Michael Polanyi, a problem is a search for solution. In the light of this, the shortage of food, of fuel, insufficient energy supply, lack of portable and clean water for teeming masses, lack of jobs opportunities and conflicts among others that are directly pinching us are not the problems at all. The real problems are the search for their solutions. But solutions are only found in knowledge. Therefore, problem is a search for knowledge essentially. Talking about search, it is misleading. Because it would mistakenly imply that the knowledge is somewhere waiting for discovery. Yet as noted man never discovers knowledge. He creates it.

What then is education? Education is the creation, transmission of knowledge and its kits of improvement, criticism. This is the sole responsibility of higher educational institutions of a nation as it is the confluence of such loop. From and in all fields, knowledge is not for preservation unquestionably. It necessarily needs to be improved upon. So when we say the educational system of some countries in Europe, America and Asia are better than that of African countries we do not mean we are not reading and learning the knowledge content of science, mathematics, politics and economics among others like them.

Rather, we mean their educational system is manifesting the trio loop of creation, transmission and criticism of knowledge contents for improvement. It inferentially equips them to statistically abandon antiquated views and ways of doing things in facing the shared existential challenges despite the nuances. For this is education the sole responsibility of higher educational institutions in a nation. As the prevailing views that dominate higher institutions of education are likely to dominate the public as well. Therein progress is assured when it does.

But that seems or is not the case here. As the world is increasingly becoming global, the schooling that we have been mistaking as education here in Africa wherein there is but only a rectilinear transmission of knowledge like power lines down the streets is glaringly becoming obvious to many. The creation and criticism components are almost always missing. Yet education is loop and institution of higher learnings must be that confluence in order to ensure progress as it must influence the public mind.

The African educational system is not affecting the public minds as expected. It can even be adduced that the prevailing views of the people wherein knowledge is believed to be a given and needs preservation unquestionably seemingly dominates our educational institutions much more than the opposite. All is schooling and little education here. Of course, there are exceptions on the Africa continent too. So all is not doom and gloom. But still, we can do better. For this, like elsewhere scientific education is our only hope since it is the embodiment of this trio; creation, transmission and criticism of knowledge for improvement hence progress.