Perception of education in africa.

"In most parts of Africa, people aren't trained enough to execute essentials jobs, degrees gained by most African are useless or have no purpose in the job markets" African CEO's forum Geneva.

I have come across these statement several times in the last couple of months and I am constantly battling with myself over what position to take. My first reaction is to be defensive, as a product of the African educational system I naturally am offended and scream in my head WHAT DO THESE CEO's and BUSINESS MEN MEAN? Is it possible that out of the millions of boys and girls who graduate yearly from universities most of them are not useful? Then I laugh to myself, the Nigerian movie industry churns out a whole lot of movies yearly and 85% of them, absolute garbage.

Light note aside, research shows the rhetoric often shifting from universities being underfunded and corrupt to the idea that graduates are nurtured to look for jobs rather than creating jobs. I am not sure any of these assertions are valid because another question pops up; does the educational system in any country actually nurture students towards creating jobs?  If I have learnt anything from reading biographies of successful businessmen they seem to point to 'formal education' and the way it models everyone into working for other people. So that thought can be shelved--- invalid in my opinion.

If only they (government and past generations) had planned, if only they realised that Nigerias population will grow at a ridiculous rate, if only they realised that to have electricity and water supply you have to plan, if only they kept records, if only the census figures are done to project and plan for the future, if only they thought of the 'greater good'- I can think of a million 'If only's' but it still does not take away the fact that many graduates remain unemployed. But is there a solution?

 Then I drift back into making a comparative analysis of my experiences with formal education in Nigeria and in the UK and I notice that while emphasis in Nigeria seems to be 100% focused on writing and passing final exams in the UK it seems to be more on presentations and in depth knowledge of core topics.  In the social sciences for instance does a focus on interactions through seminars, individual and group presentation go a longer way in making an European more employable than his Nigerian counterpart? 

Are we too focused on formal education? that might be another issue we need to look at, can we train mechanics, electricians and ensure that an environment is created for them to earn a good living? OR maybe the solution is just to ensure security of life and property and that might encourage foreign investment and companies? Or is that trend of Nigerian kids not getting any formal or informal work experience until they graduate from the university that handicaps them later?

The battle in my head is still raging, but I have been able to conclude that the problem of our graduates is not that they are not employable but that there are no jobs and the environment has not been created to encourage the Westerners and the rising powers to bring industries to Nigeria. Is anyone in the world really that employable after their first degree? What happend to identifying a potential and training a graduate? 

Although there might be a minority of graduates who we are ashamed of, I believe if the government solves the problem and infrastructure (good transport system, electricity and water) everything including job creation and employment will fall into place. But the question remains will the Nigerian government ever get it right?

I am not sure if after writing this I feel any better or less confused about the topic of graduate employability, o well...