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It was graduation day for Fourah Bay College this year when a smartly dressed woman saw those who have just graduated from Fourah Bay College walking down proudly that Fourah Bay College hill adorned in their flowing gowns when she said emotionally: “I walked down this hill 7 years ago having graduated with flying colours, with high hopes but those hopes have been dashed, unfortunately.”
According to the smartly dressed woman, she thought that graduation from a well recognized university like FBC, is a ticket to job opportunities. But it was not so for her and it is not so for hundreds of thousands of citizens who have graduated from tertiary institutions all over the country.
After the graduation part, the battle, like those of spermatozoa, the survival of the fittest, starts with most not being fit enough, for reasons not of their own making.
Yes it is a good idea for citizens to be encouraged to enter tertiary institutions but what next after that? Not much has been thought out for this after the graduation scenario instead after graduation the odds start to work against the graduates. First, not enough jobs are available for them to be squeezed into and second, human forces begin to work against them.
According to the smartly dressed woman, she said that most of the jobs she applied for required not only the Bachelor’s degree she has but also a Master’s degree when not even necessary but just making it hard for graduates to get jobs.
”My dad emptied his life savings account to help me secure a first degree but now that I have graduated, somebody is telling me that that is not enough,” she explained.
And why was she so smartly dressed? “I am a graduate turned trader,” she explained. “I was thinking that graduation will take one to a higher level in society but I proved myself wrong but instead those traders who never went far in school are way ahead of me money-wise so why did I spend 5 years getting a honours degree? I might as well have started trading instead of going to uni.”
She wiped tears as it flowed down her cheeks.
“The Sierra Leone society gave us a raw deal. Mama, Papa, put you pikin na skool for go lan, education swit.” Is it any longer?
Individuals in this country are putting stumbling blocks in front of young citizens so that young citizens will always be down and begging from them.
Individuals want to kill the middle class and turn the country into one for the elites only.
But this is a situation that must be addressed quickly before it explodes on the faces of those supposed elites who think the grassroots are just scum.
They want the best for themselves, their own children and members of their respective families leaving others to wallow in their excrement.
Better for the higher institutions to add skills as part of the curriculum so that if after graduation society fails them as it has failed hundreds of thousands of citizens, they will look elsewhere for their survival as the smartly dressed woman.
By the way, what is that smartly dressed woman selling? “I went to tailoring school after graduation and now I sew and sell. Although this was never what I bargained for, I give praise and thanks to Almighty God for His Grace.”
As a student of Fbc this brings tears to my eyes
The problem of most employers(HR &MD) in various institutions, they’re not working in line with compan or institutions polices when it comes to recruitment process. They may rather prefer their own relatives in the job then the qualify unrelative applicants. This has been happening over and over especially in government institutions. ” In Sierra Leone, if you don’t have money to bribe for job, you’ll not be employed”. From teachers, police, Military, and other states institutions all has been monopolized. We pray for better leadership that will aid we the unconnected young people to secure job.
Thank you very much for being and talking for us Sierraloaded. May God continue to bless your ongoing efforts 🙏
Regards,
Abdulai Bangura.
Sad to read this piece and I directly found myself into this .Most of us came from homes without formal education and some relatives pushed us so hard to get educated ,and up till now we are yet to give back to them and even society .
Pray we get connected to our destiny helpers and make our academic struggle fruitful with success.
Still remain unconnected, but real jungle soldier never give up easily 💯.
Thanks and regards,
Tear running my eyes
Tears run my eyes 😭
My sister same here for me. I am totally dissapointed as most of the jobs are secured by people who knows nothing much as most of them are being schooled all because of relations, and as for us who are skilled and have the understanding are made to work under bosses that are not elites. Society deceived us but by God’s grace it will not deceive our children. They will learn how to read and write and later learn skills and businesses.
Tears run my eyes
ENTREPRENEURSHIP is our only ultimate answer. Life is a war game. Be strategy and be a focused driven person. If there’re no jobs, creat one. Read about business and how to make money and manage it.
Our society is full of problems,hence business opportunities. Know this, CRISIS create OPPORTUNITIES… Let us stop blaming other people for unfortunate situations. This is our reality. Play the game as it comes your way 😜😜😜😜
Gist: Read about Wholesale theory, intermediation. ENTREPRENEURSHIP, Investment, taxation and tax, finance, .
Read more earn more especially when you practicalise it.
It really painful
According to my view with reference to overseas education.
The education in Sierra Leone is more of theory than practical. Some courses in Sierra Leone are useless. The other issue is we don’t create job for ourselves. Programs like Agriculture,Medicine,IT and Education are supposed to create jobs for themselves.
You are going to struggle If you have a sack full of academic papers without marching SKILLS. Before enrolling in any institution for any, l mean any course, find out in detail the relevance of the course in the wider community. Don’t just follow the CROWD!!! Follow the practical application of the course on the ground; are you going to be useful for your self and the community without crying and waiting for government employment ?