Education is still the single most important thing that helps us build our careers, jobs and families. We get a broader view of the world around us, eliminating narrow mindedness. Education opens up our minds to things we could otherwise have ignored. That is why it is still very important for every child to receive an education.
However, after graduating high school, not everybody is meant to go to college. Some students may not do well in the formal education offered in colleges but may do great in technical or vocational training. We, as the custodians of this next generation, we need to start teaching our children to identify their talents and focus them where they can be most useful.
I do not mean to minimize our children’s chances in getting gainful employment, but the reality that faces them is grim and that is why we need to be realistic as we remain hopeful. The reality is that they have to create their own opportunities in order to survive. They should not sit back and wait for opportunities to present themselves. The opportunities are simply not there. Gone are the days when a successful Uncle came from Nairobi and took the young people from rural and placed them on jobs in the city. Why, there are no jobs in the city. University graduates who have been looking for jobs for years are still on waiting lists and they will be considered first before the rural high school leavers are called in. That is why we have to be real. We have to face the challenge that sits infront of us with realistic goals.
