IS THE ACADEMIC TRANSCRIPT A TRUE INDICATOR OF ONE'S POTENTIAL?

 A university student recently told me he was waiting for his academic transcript to apply for a job. I am not denying that a transcript is a critical document in gauging our academic potential. Universities are playing a critical role in nurturing future leaders of the country. The attention of this article is to assess whether a person's potential can be effectively be manifested by the transcript.


As a coach we are trained that no one can fully explain the potential of a person. What if a student failed a course unit simply because they were sick that day, does that mean they are academically weak? Research shows that some of the most successful businessmen in town have never stepped into university and their companies are employing university graduates. More still if an academic transcript is the shortcut to the world of employment, how come there is a high rate of unemployed youths in the country. Recently a university vice chancellor noted that Ugandan universities were churning out graduates with hard skills and yet the world of work requires soft skills. This means the academic transcript alone is not enough to determine a graduates potential. The academic transcript can not explain why some of the most well paid people in the world are not university graduates. Some of the wealthiest people such as Bill Gates dropped out of university and started their own companies and are billionaires. 

The academic transcript cannot be an effective measure of a graduate's potential because some of the lecturers are subjective while marking the exams. In adult education every opinion is correct but while marking exams the lecturer will fail a student who did not answer according to the script. 

The world of today requires graduates who beyond the transcript use the acquired knowledge to solve social problems. Take an example at some of the most prominent musicians. A number of them are not university graduates but are employing several graduates. The owner of Psalms Industries started his company as an idea at university and today the company is employing several Ugandans and contributing to national development. With several problems facing the country and the globe, the key challenge of the current university graduates is to find out ways in which they can use their skills to address community challenges. I normally cite Indians as people who have mastered the art of doing business. An Indian will come to Uganda with almost no capital but within one year because of their frugality, they will have set up a successful business. However we have graduates who only place their faith in the academic transcript as a gate pass to the world of success.

Today's world requires university graduates who are curious about the trends the country is taking. There are a lot of business ideas that are in news papers. It takes a curious graduate to identify them. A number of graduates do not question the status quo . However education is supposed to transform us into curious beings who are able to initiate ideas that can solve social problems. A case in point was a group of university students who formed an investment club and today it is an established company that is worth in billions. The company has also diversified into real estate. Another example is a group of university students who realized that their WhatsApp group could be transformed into an investment club. They bought land in Luweero District and subdivided it for the members.

In a nation where over 70% of the population is below 30 years, there is a lot of potential for growth. Uganda is credited as one of the most entrepreneurial countries but most of the businesses do not last beyond two years. How can the potential of such youths be nurtured so that they can become agents of positive transformation.

HOW TO EMPOWER THE YOUTHS 

1. Parental guidance right from home

2.Instilling values among the youths such as critical thinking 

3.Promoting entrepreneurship education right from childhood

4.Training financial literacy right from child hood

5. Provision of seed capital to aspiring youths 

6. Role models are key

7.Celebrating young entrepreneurs 

8. Nurturing the girl child

9.Enabling the youths to access markets for their goods.

10. Promoting vocational education

11.Exposure visits for the youths

12.Emphasizing ICT as a critical area for national development.

An academic transcript is a key document. Without it there is no evidence that one has attended university. While it is a valued document, statistics on ground regarding youth unemployment make one wonder whether an academic transcript is enough to measure one's potential. The fact that some of the most successful entrepreneurs are school dropouts is a reason to investigate further whether an academic transcript is a true measure of one's potential.

For individual and corporate financial literacy training contact:

Coach Phillip Kiryowa 

Perosnal Finance Coach (CMA)

Master Trainer, Bank of Uganda 

Founder, Advanced Empowerment Link

For Financial Freedom and Ssuatinable Enterprises.

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