Monday, August 19th – There is a popular quote that says, “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” In light of that, I would like to provide some context for what I’m about to discuss. Education is truly expensive, but it is worth every penny. It takes time, costs money, and tests your patience and perseverance. In fact, if approached without the right mindset, education can challenge and even frustrate you. Why do I say this? I have travelled a journey through different levels of education, both in my home country, Nigeria, and my host country, England.
I have observed that while environments, infrastructures, and other external factors are crucial to the successful delivery of education, even more work is required on the part of the learner. Why am I saying this? Because for education to be complete, for it to be successfully delivered from the ideation stage, through the learning process, to the knowledge acquisition stage, it requires your time, demands your money, and will test your character. It’s no wonder that those who graduate from university are often said to be certified in both learning and character.
I’m writing this as a reflection on what I learned while driving today. One of the new things I was learning about was geography. Geography is quite interesting, and I never had the opportunity to learn much of it beyond primary school. I encountered it briefly in secondary school, but I believe it was eventually removed from the curriculum.
There are people who cannot answer basic questions such as, “Where does the sun rise?” and “Where does it set?” Some people, even while standing outside, cannot identify where north, east, south, or west is. These are tests of basic knowledge. We need to start challenging ourselves to learn the fundamental things in life. Why do I mention this in this context?
Today, I was learning about geography and had to observe where the sun is. This required an intentional effort—stepping outside to see the direction from which the sun rises, using a GPS to identify my exact location, turning on Google Maps to find where north is, and going beyond just reading theory. Theory is one thing, practical application is another, but what I learned this morning is that, wherever I am, and regardless of the time of day, I can now determine where north, east, west, and south are without GPS or any technological assistance. Moreover, once I know where north is, I can estimate the time of day, which is also relative to the season.
Education is expensive. My parents paid for it all the way from primary to secondary school. Yet, interestingly, I self-taught this lesson during my journey from London this morning. I hope this reflection has sparked something within you, and I wish you the very best as always. Education is expensive; it is time-consuming and character-testing, but it is worth it because it improves your life and puts you in a better position. Thank you for reading this, and I hope you’ve gained something from it. Here are my top three takeaways for you to consider:
- Education requires significant investment, but the rewards are invaluable.
- Practical application of knowledge is just as important as theoretical understanding.
- Continuous self-learning can often lead to profound insights, even in unexpected moments.
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