EDUCATION: BETWEEN BOOK SMART & STREET SMART
I was being questioned by a friend of mine in our
quick conversation couple of minutes ago. The question has been playing in my
mind for quite a while.
Youth, especially Malays around me of my age,
usually came up to me with this sentence in our conversations and started
asking;
“Why get an education when you could be successful
from rags to riches just by getting involved in business or an entrepreneurship
activity. You see this person, he studied until PMR only, yet he managed to be
a millionaire”,
I heard this and what not, alot of times on a daily
basis.
Well indeed, that’s what most people and youth
usually thought of.
However, based on my perspective, the root of
everything successful is always branched from the most basic of all; education.
Yes, some people are lucky, some non- moslems could
get a jackpot, and be a millionaire in the blink of an eye. Whereas some just
started a business a few months ago, and get numerous wealthy income.
But luck isn’t always by our side. We couldn’t just
rely on luck.
Luck couldn’t always be by each individual’s side.
Not all individuals involved in business, or anything are successful, and will
be successful. This is why education is essential.
God will only help those who strive for themselves.
Thus we are the one who are in charged to play the role in our life, by
securing our future and goals by having a good education.
For instance, A PHD-level businessman, and a
PMR-level businessman, there’s a fine line between both individuals.
To distinguish between both businessmen, the
PHD-level businessman would probably has sufficient knowledge by education. For
instance, in accounting, or business. He could easily uses his knowledge to be
implemented to the future of the business for greater good.This would causes
less errors in his final product of the business, in the long run. Education,
skill and experience play great roles to establish a good business. This
businessman could also uses his skills and experiences to enhance his business
quality.
In contrary to the PMR-level businessman, he could
only uses his skills and experience. Here, we definately could see that the
lack of education becomes a cons to the business in which he’s involved.
Basically, we aren’t stereotyping individuals of
different education levels here, but we are actually, looking in depth towards
the importance of education in our daily lives and for our future.
I have once watched a documentation by National
Geographic; in which, in the city of Bangkok, in the heart of Thailand, lies a
Bor-Bua wet market.
This documentation emphasizes on a 15 year- old
girl, a 9th grader student, selling food and lotteries in the wet market in her
daily basis, yet her father stresses her to never discountinue her study in
school and finishes school, no matter how hard their living gets.
This is contrary to most poor individuals in
Malaysia, where the parents actually taken their children's education
forgranted. They don't see, the importance of education in the long run.
The girl could easily changes the status of her
family to a better state, by getting a good education, and that could be done
by finishing school, and graduating.
If otherwise, she would not be able to help her
family, and she will be selling food and lotteries till her last breath, and
the poverty cycle goes on as she has a family of her own in the future.
If these poverty-stricken individuals could think
further about the importance of education in the long run, why couldn’t we?
Mindset.
Indeed, we need to change the mindset of our people,
by emphasizing to them, why, education is a MUST to everybody, from all walks
of life, no matter what field we are going to choose for studying, or which
path we are choosing for a job.
Despite how much money or wealth a person is making,
money and wealth will deplete. But a good and useful education would never
deplete. It even helps to generate money and wealth.
I would want to see more successful Malaysians,
especially my race, Malays, to be in better financial state of life. I crave to
see more successful Malays all around me. I would love to see less working
class Malays surrounding me.
It isn't that hard. It isn't just a dream, or a hope
to see my race being successful. There's a solution to each problem, and it is
truly by, education. Let's stand tall, my dearest Malay and the whole
Malaysians.
“Tuntutlah ilmu hingga ke liang lahad”. Education is
prominent. Education is infinitive. Never ending, let's apply it, for greater
good. Let's say our du'ah for a better future of our race, our nation. Insha
Allah.
Radin Danial
[Youth Issues]
Radin Danial
[Youth Issues]
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