EVERY UNIVERSITY COURSE IS USEFUL

 A certain university student asked himself a question that why was he doing the course that he was undertaking. It seems he is not alone. This dilemma seems to be faced by a number of youths. A number of youths are at a crossroads and they need help. Remember over 70% of Ugandans are below 30 years. The youths face many challenges and they need guidance from a number of stakeholders. I have seen university students who chose courses because their best friends advised them. I have seen students who have taken courses because they are "cheap and easy". Some students never even make use of their career guidance masters. This casual approach ends up costing us dearly.  

The point of the matter is that there is no "useless course". According to Ambrose Kibuuka in his book After University What Next, he notes that Music Dance and Drama was once one of the most undermined courses at university. In fact he says that students who offered this course were a laughing stock and were viewed as academically weak. The same course that was undermined in Uganda was producing influential people who are billionaires in the United States. The likes of Oprah Winfrey and Micheal Jackson are products of the entertainment industry. Ambrose goes on to assert that the Nigerians have become famous because of their entertainment industry. The entertainment industry has the capacity to employ several people especially the youths if it is given the due attention by our policy makers. Ambrose Kibuuka proposes that each university course should be viewed from an entrepreneurial lens. It pains to find a student who studied entrepreneurship saying that there are no jobs in a country where there are several problems to be solved. 

A recent article in the New Vision showed that over 500,000 university graduates were boda boda riders. Another article showed that over 15% of graduates were unemployed. Behind these statistics are frustrated youths who are cursing why they studied. There is a need for a paradigm shift so that education is not seen as a curse rather than a blessing.

HOW TO ENHANCE OUR EDUCATION

1. Career guidance for students is key right from primary level

2. Continuous education reviews by policy makers

3. Seed capital for upcoming entrepreneurs

4. Internships should be well monitored

5.Students should embrace life long learning

6. Formation of incubation hubs

7.Exposure visits for youths 

8. Financial literacy training is key.


Education is an important weapon for social transformation. If a university student curses why he went to school, there is a big problem. All is not lost because we have seen students who graduated from undermined courses and become successful entrepreneurs. All courses are useful as discussed above.

Phillip Kiryowa

Personal Finance Coach

Advanced Empowerment Link

+256752615916

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