Every creature in existence came into being during a particular era. Each era had different systems upon which they run. Presently, we all are existing in this era and so far, it is obvious that the system of education in most countries is flawed. I believe that being a student means more than reading, writing and passing exams but the system has failed to recognize it.

Is it the increase in crime rate, sometimes caused by the despondency plaguing Nigerian youths especially students or the lack of self identity and esteem? This is a problem facing many Nigerian students, fueled by the preferential treatment given to intelligent ones over the seemingly dumb ones. It plagues the subconscious of young children which inevitably pressures them into trying to become like someone else. In the long run, only a small fraction eventually emerge the best leaving a few others hoping they will get there someday. But will they? Many students know deep down that the art of reading and writing is not their calling but they are helpless because the system judges all and sundry with the same standard. Albert Einstein said, ***"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid".*** Many generations, including our parents have passed through this system which is why they expect us to produce same results thus, forcing everyone through a tiny hole whereas the unexplored potentials galore.

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This issue is of major concern to me because I was nearly a victim and my close friends were affected. It became obvious right from kindergarten class, when the popular saying amongst our parents, uncles or relatives was "if you take 1st position, I will buy you a bycicle". I am no exception yet, I never got that bycicle because I always ended up taking the 2nd or 3rd position. Throughout my secondary school days at St. Teresa's College Nsukka(STCN), it was a struggle for survival. It was all about who got the highest score. All these are commendable but it becomes perilous when done at the expense of many who are best suited for other fields in life. It devalues creativity and skill which is ironically, what the society needs. A friend of mine, Brendan showcased his creativity back then in secondary school by developing a charcoal kindler with just a candle and metal scraps he gathered from a dump site popularly called compost but he was given very little recognition compared to our overall best student at that time. I was part of the fraction that didn't really matter until I finally took the 1st position in a class of full known intellectuals in JSS3 class (popularly called JZ class in STC). The school authority began to notice me and it increased my 'reps' in school. However, why must it continue that way?
Moreover, we had good singers, pianists, footballers, fast runners but due to the minuscule value accrued to these talents in our formative years, they go undeveloped and most times, never resurface. I am a pianist today because I never gave up on it. It appealed to me and I knew it was meant for me but my parents would ask, "what are you doing with a piano while you're going to study medicine"? It took a lot to convince my mum and she got me a piano. Today, they're both proud that I am a good pianist and still excel academically by God's grace. My dad sometimes exclaims, "hmm... you got this music talent from your grandfather! (referring to his late dad)".

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In our various universities, a popular maxim, "school na scam" is known to be used by unserious or unintelligent students. Some end up either struggling through school with carry overs, recurrent failures or become drop outs; some engage in illegal businesses and various crimes while others take up menial jobs to survive. Among these students could be amazing inventors, creative thinkers, footballers etc; if the system had a way to discover, harness their talents and accord them the recognition and value they deserve, the story would be different. But do we have to keep relying on a flawed system?