"School Na Scam" Syndrome In Nigeria

"School na scam" is a slogan in Nigerian pidgin English which may refer to 'formal education doesn't lead to success or financial stability.' But let's look at the keywords school and scam to know the in-depth meaning of that slogan.

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School: School in this context implies formal education or university education.

Scam: The real meaning of this word is taking money or possession from someone by tricks or fraudulent deals or acts. But in this context, it refers to deception.

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This syndrome has affected the mental disposition of this generation to a greater extent; they are not serious about school anymore. Some would even get admitted into the university and become lazy in their studies because they feel they are wasting their time

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WHY THE 'SCHOOL NA SCAM' SYNDROME?

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Today's generation grew up hearing the saying 'Education is the key' and I can remember my Dad used to tell me that I must obtain a university education so I wouldn't suffer the way he suffered, that his contemporaries who obtained university degrees are in offices working and earning fat some amount of money as their salary. You see youths of our time grew up with high expectations for a university degree. Why the syndrome then?

• UNEMPLOYMENT: The Government of the day, sad to say, has not created avenues for employment, and this implies a greater number of University graduates are unemployed. The majority are moving with credentials in files and looking for a job but none is available for them.

• slight open opportunities: When vacancies are opened by governmental firms, the employment is carried out by connection, and this is always obvious. They say you must know someone who knows someone and someone for you to be employed. You see, employment is not done by merits but by 'man knows man.' This causes the best to be unemployed and the inferior to be employed, quite unfair.

Failure in expectations has made some of the youths in Nigeria feel education is a scam or a waste of time, energy and resources.

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Remember I said my contemporaries and I grew up to hear 'education is the key', the key to having a better Job, or the key to success. It has been the key to Having a better Job in Nigeria for years in the past. Some of the youths feel the padlock has been changed by the Government of the day after their graduation.

Should we blame the government when we have millions of graduates every year, and can they possibly employ all the graduates?

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IS EDUCATION SCAM?

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No, education has gotten many good jobs, made many successful entrepreneurs, shaped our society, and brought about development.
You see, education in itself is good, as it exposes individuals and shapes their mindset.

How can we utilize our university degree: education is for exposure, and when we get the degree, let's think of what we can contribute to society and not what the government of the day can do for us.

Create Jobs: we can use our formal education and create jobs for others. Some have seen it as practical to start a small business after graduation, and after they have applied their formal knowledge to the business, it's grown to the stage of employing others.

Some even utilize what they learn in school or practice what they learn in school. For example, someone created sites for Bolt and Uber, and car owners will register to the sites where people who need rides go for one, and the owners of the sites will charge their commission from the pay. There are many others.

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Let's try to acquire skills while in school, we can use the skills and make a living after school and even end up employing others. Let's start from somewhere, and not relentingly wait for the so-called white-collar jobs. Let's open our eyes and ears to opportunities, swallow up our pride, and start from somewhere.

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Finally, I would like to say;
In pidgin English: School no be scam
In English: University education is not a scam

Obtain it if you so wish!

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Best Regards
@iddy