# INTRODUCTION

Every creature in existence came into being during a particular era. Each era had different systems upon which they run. Presently, we all are existing in this era and so far, it is obvious that the system of education in most countries is flawed. I believe that being a student means more than reading, writing and passing exams but the system has failed to recognize it.

*** # THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN NIGERIA AND HOW IT HAS AFFECTED STUDENTS

Is it the increase in crime rate, sometimes caused by the despondency plaguing Nigerian youths especially students or the lack of self identity and esteem? This is a problem facing many Nigerian students, fueled by the preferential treatment given to intelligent ones over the seemingly dumb ones. It plagues the subconscious of young children which inevitably pressures them into trying to become like someone else. In the long run, only a small fraction eventually emerge the best leaving a few others hoping they will get there someday. But will they? Many students know deep down that the art of reading and writing is not their calling but they are helpless because the system judges all and sundry with the same standard. Albert Einstein said, ***"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid".*** Many generations, including our parents have passed through this system which is why they expect us to produce same results thus, forcing everyone through a tiny hole whereas the unexplored potentials galore. *** This issue is of major concern to me because I was nearly a victim and my close friends were affected. It became obvious right from kindergarten class, when the popular saying amongst our parents, uncles or relatives was "if you take 1st position, I will buy you a bycicle". I am no exception yet, I never got that bycicle because I always ended up taking the 2nd or 3rd position. Throughout my secondary school days at St. Teresa's College Nsukka(STCN), it was a struggle for survival. It was all about who got the highest score. All these are commendable but it becomes perilous when done at the expense of many who are best suited for other fields in life. It devalues creativity and skill which is ironically, what the society needs. A friend of mine, Brendan showcased his creativity back then in secondary school by developing a charcoal kindler with just a candle and metal scraps he gathered from a dump site popularly called *compost* but he was given very little recognition compared to our overall best student at that time. I was part of the fraction that didn't really matter until I finally took the 1st position in a class of full known intellectuals in JSS3 class (popularly called JZ class in STC). The school authority began to notice me and it increased my 'reps' in school. However, why must it continue that way? Moreover, we had good singers, pianists, footballers, fast runners but due to the minuscule value accrued to these talents in our formative years, they go undeveloped and most times, never resurface. I am a pianist today because I never gave up on it. It appealed to me and I knew it was meant for me but my parents would ask, "what are you doing with a piano while you're going to study medicine"? It took a lot to convince my mum and she got me a piano. Today, they're both proud that I am a good pianist and still excel academically by God's grace. My dad sometimes exclaims, "hmm... you got this music talent from your grandfather! (referring to his late dad)". *** In our various universities, a popular maxim, "school na scam" is known to be used by unserious or unintelligent students. Some end up either struggling through school with carry overs, recurrent failures or become drop outs; some engage in illegal businesses and various crimes while others take up menial jobs to survive. Among these students could be amazing inventors, creative thinkers, footballers etc; if the system had a way to discover, harness their talents and accord them the recognition and value they deserve, the story would be different. But do we have to keep relying on a flawed system?

*** # THE WAY FORWARD

■ The first step to healing is discovering the problem. A tentative solution is one that starts from home. Parents ought to teach their children that life doesn't end with a school certificate and endeavour to observe their children's strengths and weaknesses. It will enable them administer proper guidance to help kids grow into the best version of themselves. ■ School administrators should also provide not only academic competitions but also extracurricular competitions across various facets of life like sports, music, dancing, acting, creative thinking etc. This will help build students in their formative years towards the right direction. ■ ***"Exam is not the true test of knowledge"*** is what we console ourselves with when we perform poorly in an exam; in reality, the statement has proven to be true. Other forms of assessment should be introduced into schools to not only teach students how to read and write, but also to assess their understanding of the concept. ■ The Government has a huge role to play including providing the necessary funding for schools to thrive, create international opportunities for her citizens, provide national recognition and awards to excellently skillful and talented students as well. I believe that this will change a lot in a nation when properly executed. ■ Students themselves should strive to discover what they're good at. If Isaac Newton went ahead to become a farmer like his mother wanted, who knows where physics would have been today. We ought to discover our niches and make exploits there. We shouldn't be funneled into one system that tries to turn us all into what it wants; we should rather take advantage of the system to explore and figure where our strengths lie and with the use of internet, social media and other branding avenues, show ourselves to the world. >I'll conclude by asking a particular question, what if Lionel Messi never had the chance to play football but was forced into another profession by his parents? *** ***NB: This was part of my essay application in the 2021 UNN-USA scholarship scheme.*** Acknowledgements @campusconnectng @whitestallion