Purpose

I heard of an argument why parents should/shouldn’t choose courses/career for their children…some children are fortunate enough to know what they want almost from birth, so a parent choosing may not be appropriate in that case but what of those who have no clue.

I didn’t know what I wanted to study or be. Every time my father asks me I always said something different; I wanted international relations because it sounded exotic, to be a pilot because I always wanted to travel the world, business administration because my Aunty was studying it. English was the last course I called before I went to write my examinations and my father frustrated with my indecision said I should dare not change again (it turned out to be the perfect course choice). My sisters on the other hand knew what they wanted.

After secondary school, we rush to the university to spend 4-5years in the university (not counting the extra years due to strike and other issues) and then come back home to wait for youth service, sometimes a year and then comes walking around with CV or submitting online (whichever way is required) and you may end up getting a job in a field different from your course of study and you could care less really because you are assured of money at the end of the month. Some of us go ahead to get masters and doctorate degrees for better prospects. Most of us studied courses we chose or was chosen for us. Being a parent now, I can understand why a parent will want to choose for a child because I think I have seen more and know better, but do I really?

Looking at my children, I wondered to myself, why should they rush through school? What has graduating at twenty and finishing my youth service at twenty one gotten me. Why can’t they take a year off after secondary school to volunteer, intern in an organization, get any job, learn something, anything, in the state, outside the state or country? After which they might have gotten a better understanding of why they wanted to study a certain course that’s if they still want it, recognized their passion and work towards it. Then school strike will not even bother them because it will be seen as a time to equip more towards the ultimate goal. The education will only refine the diamond in the rough they found during their time off formal education.

What do you think?

Yay or Nay? Let’s hear your opinion

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