{ARTICLE}: GRADES ONLY CAN’T DO

GRADES ONLY CAN’T DO
By ADEGOKE, Ayodeji Solomon (nomoloS)


MOST times when we see our results; some are extremely happy for meeting their self-set expectation, some partially happy for falling below expectation but still could “manage”, and some totally sad for drastically falling below what is expected. This is just natural as no one likes to fail, even those that do not sit an exam pray for miracle to have seven points, the basic reason is simply that, poor performance pricks the heart. Therefore, we just need to try our bests in order to have a performance that performs the wonder of making our hearts elated (just as we were trained).

HAVING said that, I’d like to expediently remind us of the etymology of the term “Education”. The term “education” was derived from the Latin word “ēducātiō” which means breeding, bringing up, and rearing. The term also has roots in the Latin word “educere” which means to lead, draw or take out. Therefore, it is conspicuous that the main aim of education should be to bring up or take out potentials inherent in an individual. But the question is, is this restricted to only grade points?

WELL, if I am to stand behind the lectern, I’d reiterate continuously that the educational system shouldn’t just bring out the results of what it puts in us but also be an avenue for us to take out and shine our potentials. Come to think of it, the system will teach us that A is B, then test us with questions related to what A and B is. Then I see no difference between the educational system and a computer, since they both follow the principle of GIGO – Garbage In, Garbage Out. I am not saying that the educational system is a dinosaur that cannot achieve the aim of education, neither am I saying that it is bad to have good grades in activities meted out by the educational system, I am only trying to put forward that, we should not just draw our educational boundaries so small that it excludes other developmental activities.

LET’s reason this together, human beings are group-oriented. This further explains that an individual tend to serve different roles in different groups. For instance, a medical doctor can be employed in a government hospital, at work, he is a team-player (he works with other people and applies what he had studied in school), at home, he is a father (the head of the group/family), in the church/mosque, he is a worker (who is expected to respect some authorities), in the extended family, he is a son and role model to some, et cetera. Now, this is it, restricting himself to what he had learnt in his medicine class only would have solely made him a good medical doctor, but other activities he must have engaged in while in school will determine if he will be a good team player, nice group leader, accommodating head, kudos-worthy role model, respectful worker, among others. In short, teachers will only bring out what they taught you in you, but it is your primary duty to bring out other potentials in yourself through the school.

IT is simply nice to have good grades, just like it is interesting to get a good job, but it is also super nice to engage in other activities in school, just like it is super interesting to maintain the job. The reason being that, other qualities one must have acquired in school could be integrated and make you better than others. A department of mass communication trained over 50 students the same thing and the same way. 25 of them became broadcasters, what only differentiates them are the other things they must have learnt outside the classroom and what makes one better than the other is the fact that he/she had explored other routes to development. It is simple, in a car race, if the cars move at the same pace, they’ll definitely or probably get to their destination at the same time, but in order to go beyond others, one have to take an extra speed.

WHAT are then these extra speeds? I just feel one can engage in politics, literary and debating societies, press organizations, charity or philanthropic organisations, social clubs, native associations, red cross, dance groups, among others. These could deposit in someone the treasures that cannot be mined from the classroom.

IN conclusion, the long and short of the long epistle is that, grades (either high or low) ONLY cannot make it, but GRADES (preferably high ones) WITH OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL QUALITIES AMOUNTS TO BEING FULLY AND HOLISTICALLY EDUCATED. THEREFORE, JUST SPREAD YOUR WINGS BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, AND YOU’LL FLY HIGHER AS AN EAGLE, LEAVING THE HAWKS BEHIND.


#ADEGOKE, Ayodeji Solomon (nomoloS)