SIX QUESTIONS OF EDUCATION

1. S IX QUESTIONS OF EDUCATION BY KENKOH NAI CEO & FOUNDER ENAIF MODULE TWO

2. INTRODUCTION There is no extraordinary father, mother, teacher, doctor, engineer, and leader anywhere except the one who dared to ask an extraordinary question and set out to find the answer to the question. If you see anybody who has done something extraordinary, their secret is in answer to a question. A question may be triggered sometimes by a challenge that we may encounter.

3. INTRODUCTION Think of Sir Isaac Newton’s (1643-1727) experience with the falling apple. W hy did this apple fall on my head? Why did it not stop mid-air? What was pulling it down ? This question invoked one of the greatest scientific laws, the law of gravity. Famous Quote "I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself now and then in finding a smoother pebble or prettier shell than ordinary, while the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." Isaac Newton

4. INTRODUCTION When we are unable to ask and answer these questions often we accuse our teachers for not teaching us well or our parents, brother, sister, uncle, friend, lack of textbooks or lack of money as the cause of our failure. Most often we direct our questions to things and blame other people for being responsible for the things happening to us. I believe maturity starts when you can begin to see yourself as the sole reason behind the things happening to you and every other person is just a spectator and you as the main player in your affairs. The tendency is that most people float over these questions and get nervous when somebody tries to throw some of these questions at them . You must start to see yourself as the only person who can change your condition into what you want.

5. Who are students of Purpose? Purposeful studies will graduate people who develop ideas, enhance potential, skills and talents through internship and short term job opportunities given them. They develop business solutions and enhance community life with the know how acquired from school. Students of purpose are students who leave school prepared to bring change. They are more interested in improving life through the work they do and focus on raising capital for their work than job security. What they treasure most are ideas they could use to channel their dreams to serve humanity while making money and creating work. They have a start-up capital problem and not a job problem. They are not struggling for survival and security but looking after opportunities to serve humanity. When an idea or opportunity meets a person of purpose the result is a miracle.

6. The Drive for Professionalism Professionalism should not be driven by the best paid jobs and convenience of entry level but should be driven by passion to serve in a specific area. When Dr. Jonas Salk , the scientist who developed the polio vaccine found medical research as his niche and passion when he entered medical school, his education advisers told him there would be few financial rewards in research. His reply was, “There is more to life than money.”

7. The Challenge of Right Orientation It is important for you to know that you can excel very well a subject areas which is not necessarily your areas of assignment. It is equally good to know that some students may have difficulties in a subject that is a direct clue to their purpose in life. How can you know exactly, what you have to study that falls in line with your purpose, talent and gifting?

8. 1. Understand the WHY of Education This is a question of purpose, vision, reason, meaning, essence, intent, aim, goal, objective etc. of education . What is the purpose, essence, aim, goal and objective of education ? The question can equally be asked this way: What are you educating in you? According to IVOCPL concept “man by nature is created with intrinsic value that requires proper orientation to ignite creativity for a productive and fulfilled life.” Education should graduate us into our purposes in life and not a job that we just want to do to make ends meet . The difference between a job and work is that you retire from a job meanwhile your work is for life. When people see your work they see you.

9. The WHY of Education This brings us to the definition of purpose-driven learning: Purpose-driven learning therefore is the ability to visualise your future and embark on the process of self empowerment, to build the capacity required to accomplish the mental picture envisaged at the beginning or in the course of the process. What follows this step? Organise your studies around what you like to be and do most in life.

10. 2. The WHAT, question of Education This is the question of potential, intrinsic-value, ability, responsibility, untapped wealth and riches buried in education for humanity. The what question, is a question of responsibility to develop your potential and serve your world with it. Here you are battling to answer the question: What is in education for me? It is important to understand the contribution education will bring to you as a learner in detail. Education enhances your purpose. That said, you must know what you are educating.

11. The WHEN of Education This is a question of time, precision, schedule, programming, setting deadlines to enable us achieve right educational objectives all throughout life. Education actually has no end but there are important stages in the process that are very suitable for the early years e.g. primary, secondary and high school. Time is the most valuable gift God ever gave man. Therefore, attaching time to purpose is the most powerful way to perceive life because this is the fundamental basis for establishing a purpose-driven life. Knowing the purpose of time and setting objectives to fit in at every stage of the process is the secret of great achievers. Not knowing what to do with your time is the most dangerous strategy for life. I always advise every young person I happen to come across to know there is no free second. If you don’t have anything doing, read a good book that can inspire you. When you allow your time pass by without attributing work to it you are a time assassin or you are gradually puncturing your destiny by wasting away your time.

12. The HOW of Education The question of how, is the question of methodology, desire, craving, unending thirst for knowledge and wisdom to advance to the new pages of your life.

13. The Different Methodologies of Learning Reading: Reading is very vital way to enter into the world of unending knowledge, revelation, illumination and discoveries. Listening: It is generally said, ‘listen more and speak little.’ If you listen to the wise you will automatically become wise. Observation: One of the greatest ways to learn is through observation. You watch what your masters do and when given an opportunity, you replicate the same result as you saw them doing . Service: As a student you could create time every summer holiday to serve through an internship with a local council, a church, company alongside the work you do daily at home under the supervision of your parents. Meditation: It has to do with separating yourself from the activities of life often to reflect and think about your life, the kind of future you want to build . Conferences, Seminars and Meeting: Conferences, seminars and meetings are important to enable you gain exposure as a student.

14. The WHERE of Education Know where you are heading in life or you studies won’t make any real sense to you . Where there is no vision the people perish. A life without a plan is a life that is on the high plan to fail. A student as well who study without a goal is on the highway to great frustration. Equally a student that set a wrong study target may certainly achieve the goal but will end up unfulfilled.

15. The WHO of Education This is a question of Identity, self discovery, personality, coming to terms with who you really are in the process of getting educated. When you know yourself you can be able to acknowledge the material that can help you build the personality, the character, habits and behavioural patterns that support your identity

16. Personality Personality has to do with your self-image, self-expectancy, self-awareness and self-projection. It builds the consciousness of who you are; what you can do and the image you project to others. Self-image: Your self image first is not what other people think about you but the kind of thoughts and beliefs you hold about yourself. This thoughts and belief soon find a habitat in your subconscious mind. This lays the foundation to determine how you behave. Self-expectancy: This is simply what you expect to see happen in your lifetime. It gets materialised in career choice and day-to- day pursuits. If as a child you believed to be a pilot, you will make sure you confront anything that is contrary to your dream. Self-awareness: The knowledge of self-image and self-expectancy will make an individual become aware of where s/he is heading in life. When you know where you are going, it is evident you will know the kind of luggage you have to take along. Somebody who is not aware of who s/he is, will give in to anything in life . Self-projection: This is being able to segment the different phases of our lives into planned timeframes. This helps us to know what to avoid and what to go for at each phase. I will marry in ten years time, so I cannot get involved in a romantic relationship now. I must be focus on my studies at this point in time, you affirm to yourself confidently.

17. The END Thank you for your kind attention and listening.