About Africa Independent Magazine CC

Back to School

Back to school after the long winter break More than half way into this year. Indeed it has been a great three weeks for many, for some it was time to just sit back and relax, whilst others with some wise perils used the time to try and revise what they have been struggling to understand. Back to school goes beyond buying new things for school, worrying about the school fee and the like! With so many activities, education seems to be losing its vibrancy, even though it is cardinal to every sector of civilization. Back in the day, education meant everything on the African continent. It was the passport to a brighter future, as people tried to enter into the mainstream fields like teaching, medicine and other government posts. But with time, or rather with the slow growth of the African economy, or the misuse of resources, and the obvious depletion of natural resources which results in high unemployment levels on the continent, it is no wonder that most school going children try to opt for careers in arts and culture, such as music, modelling, dancing and art. Although these are the unconventional fields, if one makes a break through, they do pay a fairly good dividend compared to studying towards working in an eight to five job. Most jobs are now specialised, and therefore require people with a lot of experience to get employed, leaving the average graduate looking around for a job for much longer. Africa is a continent with such huge potential of job creation, it always reminds me of the two marketing managers that were sent off to explore a new market, the one was came and gave a report; ' Don't waste your time, no one wears shoes in the area.' the other came and said, 'Huge market potential everyone needs shoes.' I think that Africa is at that stage, it is a growing economy but its difficult is its lack of belief in manufacturing, there is a myth that already made products from overseas are cheaper, and even if African produce the products they are of such mediocre quality that they are beaten off the market by imported items. So where are the graduates that are supposed to do the quality checks? Why not bear the brunt and face the hurdle of the high cost of production, but produce nonetheless after all it is only through mass production that the cost will ultimately reduce? But at least an attempt would be made at creating some jobs and adding value to the livelihood of many households. More emphasis should be given to commercial farming despite the expensive costs of the farming equipment. Although, every parents worry is getting their child into university, which is the ultimate goal and measuring stick of the educational system, one has to be practical and address these issues. Of course this applies to main stream schools. Of course we have other schools like the special schools that cater for slow learners or medium classes within the main stream, what is the measure of success from the educational departments. Although the slow learners have been now identified, these were in the olden days referred to as simply dull and made to repeat until they could no longer be accommodated in a particular grade as they were now too old for their classmates. I stand corrected, but many African countries have not even identified this type of learner. Other than what is discussed above come the other challenges that the educational system is facing which includes teenage pregnancies, violence, bullying, drugs and alcoholism amongst learners. This, to some extent have caused extremists to consider home schooling their children. I too spent a number of years and am a member of a home schooling team, although I do not home school. But, it is always a tempting thought. Without taking the fun out of education, other than making it easy, we need to encourage a lot of sports, that can pruduce disciplined children. We also need to look at other unconventional ways of teaching, such as the one being practiced in the Bronx called the ‘keep’ system. In this system, the class will only progress once the slowest leaner understands what is being taught.It is said to be proving a success. This is the method, my friend is advocating for as a system to the current failing system. Or is it failing?

Don't use children as your sheild's!!

This indeed is a difficult subject to address. Being a mother, or a parent; as some parents will boost at being perfect at the game , others have struggled through no fault of theirs' to make ends meet for themselves and their loved ones. Money would obviously make parenting an easier task, whilst the lack of it would mean the opposite.But that as it may be, money may not result in happiness. Some law income families have made it with determination. They have learnt to be happy whilst facing poverty- which is called living in the 'now'. We don't chose our families but are fortunate indeed to chose our spouses and or partners. Sometimes we hear of women that are in terrible relationships of financial, economic, physical abuse and they say they can't leave for the sake of the children? Hence they try to stick around, not because they are happy but because they are afraid. Indeed if one eliminates fear, one can achieve anything. The government in some cases recognizes the plight of women in such situations such that they create laws and awareness about domestic violence and offer some short term relief to the victims thereafter? It is thus the uncertainty that surrounds such a female that causes one to stick around in an unhappy relationship, for their own sake in terms of dependence and that of their children? When indeed it is in actual fact the fear of failure, slander, ridicule and the unknown that makes women in such situations continue to take more abuse than they should. The question one should pose is taking the girl child to school enough to curb this escalating and disturbing problem? How does one know when enough is enough. We have sadly a long list of people who waited to long, or were attacked whilst trying to take action against the perpetrator and yet their are those silent voices, sad smiles and hidden cries that should make society realize that more needs to be done in creating a morally up write society were such abuse will be a thing of the past, where the rule of law will come into play to halt halt this surge. The book distorted view does not deal with domestic violence but indeed some women due to their status in society would rather hide their pain than talk about it. In a few weeks time we will give you a wonderful preview of one of the characters 'Debby Candice' on realizing a secrete she never suspected exited...not in a life time. A beautiful, collective well mannered women whose been loyal to the word of God discovers a secrete, will how whole world come tumbling down or does she have the will to put of the destruction that have lead other's behind bars. Where does it hurt and how much. Is monogamy normal? Perhaps that's the question.