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03.03.2018 Opinion

Being a successful person has nothing to do with getting good grades

By Musah Abdul Razak
Being a successful person has nothing to do with getting good grades
03.03.2018 LISTEN

I have always argued and wondered if being a successful person has something to do with one's academics, that is getting good grades to be precise. Formal education is very essential and crucial though. It makes one a literate, exposes one to new things and through schools people make new friends. Formal education indeed has a lot of importance and has played a significant role in the success of a person. Parents would say they send their children to school so that they (the children) can have bright future and look after their parents. But my question is does formal education have anything to do with success? Can't one be successful without school? Is a person who does not have high formal education automatically a failure? Our forefathers had no formal education yet most of them were successful. Was it by fortune?

Kwadwo Nkansah Liwin, Agya Koo, Kwaku Many, Maame Serwaa and many actors and actresses have no education or high educational background but are successful in life and their names can be mentioned anytime names of rich people are being mentioned. Not only them, Akua Donkor-the leader of Ghana Freedom Party has no educational background but she is a very rich and successful farmer and business woman, Hassan Ayariga has no educational background yet a successful business man, Nana Aba Anamoah did not have a university degree yet she is still a successful journalist, Apostle Kwadwo Sarfo Kantanka has no good educational background but he is living successfully. Today, we cannot talk about media houses without mentioning FM stations like Peace FM, Okay FM and Hello FM. All these FM stations belong to a man who has no good educational background by name Osei Kwame.

One might attribute their sources to money rituals but also bear in mind that a book shouldn't be judged by it cover and God still blesses people. To me, it is all about diligence, persistence, perseverance and above all prayers.

My brother, my sister, when you fail in class, do not see yourself as an unworthy person. You might also be better than the one who tops your class in one way or the other. No one is the monopoly of all potentials. Maybe they are good in class and you are also good on the field, focus on your talent. Also, when someone performs abysmally in class, that person should not be disdained and belittled by the friends. Let us not discourage or pull their legs but rather, let us encourage them with what they can also do.

To my parents and caretakers, yes, everybody wants their own to be a doctor, nurse, journalist, etc but we cannot all be that alone. Some of us have to also be musicians, footballers, etc. Do not let us (to parents and caretakers) compare the performances of our wards to that of those who are better than our children are and raise insults on them. Even the five fingers are not equal, how much more individuals. Let us rather help our children to build their talents. Yes, formal education is very important but if it is success you want for your child, then help them to build their talents. All of us cannot do white collar jobs, others will also succeed from blue collar jobs. It sounds laughable right? Is it football that your child can play? Help them play it better. Let us clear the fallacy 'education is the key to success' and implant on our minds 'success is about perseverance, diligence, persistence and prayers'.

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