By Munirah Ibrahim Yusuf
Growing up as a teenager, one of the most challenging questions you could ask me was the almighty… “What do you want to be in the future”? I dabbled from one self-proclaimed pretty “Science course” to another for years…
All I knew was that it had to be a course in the Science field. First, it was ophthalmology, then pharmacy, and even estate management. Who am I kidding? It was a crisis.
It felt worse when I got to SS1 and saw the other options I could have had in different fields, like art and commercials. I was good in their subjects too.
I couldn’t quite understand why I chose to go to the Science Field. I couldn’t find why I decided to go there, so I held on to the fact that Allah was in control and had led me to pick it with good faith.
Years later, one morning….it hit me like a revelation. I suddenly knew why I never went to art or commercial class. It was because “THEY WERE NEVER AN OPTION”.
A certain teacher we looked up to had categorically told us things that created the impression. For example, whoever was blessed with anything close to an IQ had nothing to do with anything other than in the science field. And, like, that’s where the money is….And, like, that’s where great people and great professions belong….blah blah blah.
Who wouldn’t want to be Great, tho? I subconsciously ruled out other fields. I still remember when we were asked to pick classes after JSS3. I knew I wanted to choose “Science” but didn’t want anything too deep in science (medical science) because of all the blood and flesh business.
I had settled to write down courses I thought wouldn’t have too much messy work (blood, wounds), and Opthalmology was what I went with (LOL again, who am I kidding?)
Secretly, many people still regret the paths they chose in their education. Family, friends or society influenced some of us,and now we have discovered what we want for ourselves.
Let’s think about it; I don’t know about you, but in my area, kids around ages 12-14 are already in JSS 3, where they get to choose fields. Is a child that young capable of knowing what’s best for them? It’s screaming NO. The schools differ, ranging from private or government-owned, but most I’ve seen make them choose a field after JSS3.
I heard about a principal who would make the JSS3 finalists come to school during the long break after their Junior NECO exams. He would then teach them art, sciences, technical and commercial subjects and finish with some exams.
This system gave the students a little insight into what they would be dealing with when they got to Senior class and helped them make better choices regarding the subjects they found more intriguing and good Counselling. Great, don’t you think? May Allah bless his soul. Either way, no one seems to do that anymore, and we have to move on.
As a teacher or an educator whom kids look up to and adhere to with all beliefs, you should be careful with the kind of information you give kids.
Courses might be ranked, but the individual is responsible for how much utility they can produce using it. Every course is important. If not, it would not be a cause to study. (P.S.: We will talk about the effect of our country on education some other day).
As a parent or caregiver, it is important to practice mindful parenting and carry out routine checks with your kids to understand their choices and lifestyle and make sure they choose the best for themselves.
Many of us had that ‘follow follow’ stage that comes with growing up. And then you snap! And you reach the point where you have to take a step back, assess the situation and realise that this is not who you want to be.
Then, we live our lives trying to find ourselves with ever-changing wants and needs. Many of us are past that now, but you might know a kid or two going through these struggles. It is easy to recognise these stages when they talk and be on the lookout for help.
Let us give them better than we had.
Munirah Ibrahim Yusuf can be reached via ibrahimnurah99@gmail.com.