By Fred Nwaozor
Education
can be described as the imparting and acquiring of knowledge via teaching and
learning, respectively, especially at a school or similar institution.
In the words of G. K. Chesterton ‘Education
is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.’
No wonder every sane and rational society treats it as the fundamental factor
required toward any meaningful development.
The earliest educational processes involved
sharing information about gathering food and providing shelter; making weapons
and other tools; learning language; and acquiring the values, behaviour, as
well as religious rites or practices of a given culture.
Prior to the invention of writing and
reading, people lived in an environment in which they struggled to survive
against natural forces, animals, and other humans. At the time, to survive,
preliterate individuals developed skills that grew into cultural and
educational patterns.
Education, therefore, emanated from the human
struggle for survival and enlightenment. It may be formal or informal. The
latter refers to the general social process by which human beings acquire the
knowledge and skills needed to function in their culture. Whilst, formal
education refers to the process through which teachers instruct pupils or
students, as might be the case, in subjects of study within institutions.
The modern day education makes one feel proud
that s/he is truly educated, though formally or informally, everyone is
educated. The real education, which is the overall development of mind, body
and soul, can be acquired via any means. According to Carter Woodson, education
means to ‘inspire people to live more abundantly, to learn to begin with life
as they find it and make it better.’
It’s noteworthy that modern education is aided
with a variety of technology comprising computers, projectors, internet, and
calculators, among others. This fact forms the basis of this discussion, hence
shall take time to do justice to it.
Everything
that can be simplified has been made simpler by introduction of the
aforementioned gadgets into the modern day education. Science has obviously
explored every aspect of human life. It suffices to say that there is now much
to learn as well as more to assimilate. Internet alone provides abysmal
knowledge, meaning literally that there’s no end to it.
Skill development and vocational
education has added a new feather to the modern system of education. There is
something to learn for everyone. Even an infant these days goes to a kindergarten.
And a little grown – mentally and physically – is promoted to a nursery.
The most fascinating part is that
everything is being categorized ranging from kindergarten, nursery, primary,
secondary, to tertiary; and each of these stages has a certain set of technical
acquaintances. The truth is, modern pattern of education is a never-ending
process. Aristotle Nicomachus, in his usual way, stated that education is an ‘ornament
in prosperity and a refugee in adversity.’ This is exactly what modern
education represents.
However, it’s pertinent to acknowledge that
the existing technical intricacy of modern education has caused colossal harm
to the present days’ children, thereby posing threat in their respective
ambitions and future endeavours.
For instance, before now, devices such
as abacus were used during Mathematics classes. Such an approach helped
tremendously to educate the kids – ranging from ages 6 to 14 – on mental
arithmetic, a knowledge that enables them to face any form of Mathematics
problem in the future.
But now, except in countries like
India, Russia, China, Ghana, and what have you that still use counting frame or
abacus, calculator has suddenly overtaken its use in Nigeria. Worse still, even
primary school pupils are now exposed to scientific calculators.
Modern
education has deprived most learners the opportunity of seeing the real events
or scenes. Engineering students, for example, only see pictures of what is
being taught, or what is expected to be produced by them.
Final year undergraduates, and perhaps
postgraduate students, presently do their projects or theses by merely downloading
the required materials from the net. Most students don’t even know where the
fabric they are wearing came from. The word ‘how’ is currently missing in our
world, which causes severe ignorance.
Modern education has succeeded in spreading
more ignorance than knowledge. It has produced a vast population able to read
but unable to distinguish what is worth reading. Learners do more of cramming
rather than memorizing, which can only be achieved by getting close to facts or
the actual pictures. Albert Einstein once said education is ‘that which remains
if one has forgotten everything learned in school.’
For the technical intricacies involved in
modern education to be advantageous to the learners, they must serve as
supplements. In other words, they ought to be used for reference purposes, and
not as fundamental devices as they are presently utilized in various
institutions of learning.
The pupils or students must get used to
the real pictures or sites before introducing the use of tech gadgets to them. Their
brains shouldn’t be complicated with those stuffs at early stage. Those brains
are still fragile, thus ought not to be juxtaposed with tech intricacies. More
so, endeavour to let the practical segment be preceded by theory.
The truth is that we must note that
every invention was made for a purpose, and to be applied at a particular time.
So, if we end up misusing them, it becomes a problem when they are meant to
serve as blessing. Think about it!
Comrade Nwaozor, a tech expert, is
National Coordinator,
Right Thinkers Movement
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Twitter:
@mediambassador
