he word ‘educated’ is used to describe different people depending on the circumstance or the display of knowledge. In the real essence of it what does it mean to be educated or what does education really mean? I am not going to try to define these terms but I will like to explain what I think education should do for a society. Some days to the last World Literacy Day I stumbled on one of my old write-ups (it was never published) but it re-awakened my mind to the huge challenges that confront our educational system today. It is not…

There is a big question posed to the generation of today and the one that existed before now; How can we ensure that our children are not tackling the same problems of our time with the same strategy as ours? Issues like Gender inequality, Climate Change, Malaria, Unemployment, HIV/AIDS, Conflict, Terrorism and most recent addition Ebola require institutions that will prepare citizens to tackle it strategically. It is high time we realized that tackling the effects of a problem will not solve the problem, we need to address the cause of the problem. Quality education should equip students with the…

For education to be meaningful it must provide innovative, relevant, safe and reasonable solutions to the challenges that confront us across different sectors. How can we ensure this is done? Lecturers and students need to become the first partners that will drive this change. Government, Civil Society, Private sector and Philanthropists should work together to support the work of the drivers of change. In all, everyone must be sincere to say what they know and what they can do, also we must all be open to always allow for growth, style and innovation. When we achieve this level of sincerity…

True education is simply the process of developing the ability to learn, apply, unlearn, relearn. Learning Training and practice are major components of developing expertise in whatever human beings do. While it may not always help in developing innate aptitude, it is indispensable if one wants to excel. What is learning? Learning is precisely this practice – in terms of skills and knowledge that are helpful. Modern educational institutions are all about learning. Application Using the learned ideas to create something that did not exist before. Proving a new theorem, inventing a new device, modelling financial markets etc. are all…

1. Get and use a calendar. It can be a paper calendar. It can be your cell phone. It can be a PDA. Make sure you have one no matter what kind it is. 2. Write down everything. Write down everything in one place. Having multiple calendars just gives you more to do amidst an already tight schedule. Schedule when you plan to sleep, when you are going to do your laundry, when you’re going to call your parents. The crazier your schedule gets, the more vital this becomes. 3. Schedule time to relax. Don’t forget to schedule some time…