The Sunday Mail
Brian Ngosi
Zimbabwe has a high literacy rate, that’s to say people who can read and write.
What remains amiss is the benefit that is being derived from the literacy rate all things being equal.
The type of problems and the failure rate to solve basic problems leaves one wondering and curious. There is need to draw a line between the educated and the certified in those much celebrated high literacy rate statistics. You need to ask yourself whether you are educated to certified.
Education transforms your life and those around you. Education is reflected in humility and accommodative interactions. The educated learn by listening to others. When they speak, they think through everything with good intend.
Education seeks to develop the next person. The beauty of education is that the bearer wishes to take their audience to their level. The educated always balance their speech and communicate effectively.
Deep in the rural areas before an aging population that can barely write their name; an educated person will make their speech in vernacular language. An educated person always thrives to sit within the ranks as a commoner and only distinguishes themselves by their contribution to the subject of the gathering.
Certified people want everyone to know their qualifications and speak of themselves highly. Certified people worry about their status and make a lot of noise about it. Always remember that how you are addressed does not change your status, don’t make a protest about it.
Certified people always seek to take the front seat, their contribution rests in loud speeches with very little depth. The certified prides in using English even when the whole audience can barely speak English beyond greetings. Before an English audience, the certified sets themselves apart by using big words which do not add value to the communication but only seeks to confirm their status. A good argument can still be made in a whisper. The next time you hear someone shouting in a discussion, bear with them, they carry the certification tag. If you ever hear someone who has the audacity to tell another person that they don’t know anything, be wise enough to know that the reverse is true between the two concerned individuals.
Only the certified think they know it all.
Little value is derived from certified individuals whose knowledge is limited to their certificates. Society is poorer because of narrow minded, certified individuals. The heated debate about which profession is more superior is paddled by certified individuals. The educated make the best of their knowledge, in full appreciation that society flourishes because all professions complement each other. Educated individuals are not pompous and don’t look down on others, which is typical of certified people.
In a crowd, if someone quickly asks who you are, kindly check if you are exhibiting certification and not education. Society is the best judge of character, without exception. Your social status is derived from how you conduct yourself. Critically, society needs more educated people than certified individuals. Education is broad based and can be tapped into. Certification is rigid and does not go beyond the tittle of qualification held. There can be a lot to learn from an O-Level educated person than a degreed certification individual.
There is wisdom in appreciating that well beyond formal education which underwrites certification; education has always been part of society. Education gives you the power to apply yourself and fit into society. The ability to communicate and tolerate the other person is from education, not certification. Education has no quantifiable measures and an accompanying status. Education is that which sets the world alight with solutions that gives hope. The educated seeks to give the certified a chance. Regrettably, the certified looks at the world narrowly and recognises only their fellow certified colleagues, which plunges society into certification paralysis.
While the certified charge a hefty fee and are prepared to walk away, the educated are always there to save the situation and get appreciated afterwards. Charity is for the educated while the certified always have a price tag for the little that they have to offer.
Brian Ngosi is a motivational writer who seeks to inspire individuals to make a difference for the good of society. Brian can be reached at: [email protected], fb page #BN_inspired 2018 or interact with him on WhatsApp at: 0772440383 to receive daily inspirational messages.
Always remember it’s not the number of certificates that you have, but the difference you can make for the good of humanity.
Organisations that count on impressive curriculum vitaes as the only source of solutions are partly accountable for the high business failure in growing economies. Solutions lie in the least expected places and the ungraded can harbour the much needed institutional memory which can make the difference.
Always remember that you do not always need a technical approach, even to a technical problem; sometimes common sense is enough.
Seek to be educated and then complement it with certification. Without education, certificates remain glossy pieces of papers with your name on it.
The literate needs to make an effort to get educated.
