Abstract

Education has always been an important factor that brings about national development in human capital, science and technology. The central goal of education is to develop citizens to be self-reliant with a critical thinking ability, decision making and source of solution to life problems while applying the knowledge acquired. This paper examines education in the 21^st Century with a specific focus on acquisition and application of knowledge versus certificate. Literature was reviewed in the area under examination and the work revealed that the world is changing as a result of emerging technological and professional trends. This has resulted in the need to down play on the celebrated certificate and encourage the application of knowledge orientation to keep abreast of the 21^st century demands of the society. The paper emphasizes the importance of pragmatic knowledge over certification, the skills, abilities and learning dispositions that have been identified as being required for success by educators, business leaders, academics, and governmental agencies in organizations and society. It concludes by giving clues on the creation of niche, that is, individuals with their own brand in career and business. This will therefore relegate certificate consciousness and increase the relevance of knowledge application for creativity, innovation and invention.

1. Introduction

The entire intellectual and professional life of a country depends on sound higher education, especially university education that provides quality products (graduates) of international standard ¹. The Nigerian nation is in dire need of strategies and determination to join the modern world in the application of knowledge for the solution of everyday problems in the economy and in the society. To this end, education in each country should be properly administered to bring about the certification that aligns with the pragmatic knowledge of individuals.

In the words of Adu ², education is described as the sum of a person’s acquired experiences. Similarly, Aladenusi and Ayodele ³ opines that education is the spring board for societal and global development as it brings about substantial and meaningful changes. Education no doubt nurtures, preserves and widen the horizons, creativity, talents and potentials of its members, vis-a-vis their contribution to societal development. Education is seen as the tool that facilitates economic, social, political and technological advancement and diversification in all human societies.

Knowledge can be referred to as a theoretical and practical understanding of a subject. In philosophy, the study of knowledge is called epistemology; the philosopher Plato famously defined knowledge as "justified true belief". Under normal circumstance, knowledge also promotes social change. The role of functional knowledge-based educational system in fast-tracking development over the years in some countries attests to the fact that, education is a cornerstone and cardinal pillars to societal rejuvenation.

In Nigeria, it has been perceived that students during their course of study try all their best to give back to the lecturer what he has given to them in terms of lectures and lecture notes. They cram and sometimes undergo all sorts of unethical conduct to achieve their grades and certification. In the world of employment, most of these certified graduates are not able to display the pragmatic knowledge that measure up to their grades in the work place. They do not have the practical skills abilities and learning disposition need to succeed in the industries. Thus, the need to examine if the pragmatic knowledge should take precedence on the certification.

To appropriately discuss the focus of the study as stated above, the paper is divided into six segments. The first segment is the introduction into the paper. The second segment concisely state the importance of education, knowledge and certificate to the national development. The third discusses the specific focus of the paper – acquisition and application of knowledge versus certificate. The 21^st century skills needed to succeed in the workplace was detailed in the fourth segment while the fifth expatiated on how individuals can carve a niche for himself or herself in the 21^st century. The sixth and the last segment is the conclusion of the paper.

2. Importance of Education, Knowledge and Certificate

Education is a process of learning various facts, ideas and theories. Education is acquired through the formal institutions like school, colleges and universities. A certificate is a document serving as evidence that a person has competed an educational course issued either by a school, college, universities or other educational centres. By implication, a certificate is an evidence that one has undergone an educational process. The development of any society is premise on the level of development of its educational system, as no nation can rise beyond the level of their education.

Education is an inevitable tool for sustainable development and a vehicle for advancing the frontier of knowledge ⁴. It is a tool for acquisition and application of knowledge. In this regard, education is severally conceived and inculcated by people of varying backgrounds, ages, needs and aspirations for sustainable development. The potency of education is more evident in its globalization trends imbued with instrumental values of nurturing productive citizens for sustainable development and democracy. Education has been recognized as a process of imparting knowledge, skills and attitudes to the learners. Education can be obtained through a formal or informal setting. In the context of this study, the formal means of obtaining education is of great importance because it has been regarded as the most respected educational means. Schooling is one of the means through which education can be obtained, with the hope of fulfilling the National Policy of Education (1998) revised (2004) ⁵ which emphasized on functional and self-reliant citizens. Adegbesan, ⁶ stated that people and nations are prototype of their educational system.

Knowledge is the application of the facts and theories learnt from formal education. It is mostly gained from formal education and the real-life experiences. It can be implicit (as with practical skill or expertise) or explicit (as with the theoretical understanding of a subject); it can be more or less formal or systematic. Knowledge is the foundation of progress and development. A nation with high level of knowledgeable, educated and well-informed citizens are critically conscious, easy to govern, mobilize, and energize in the same direction of transformation with the spirits of patriotism. While nations that have high degree of ignorant and uneducated people are often easy prey to manipulation, exploitation and destruction by the elite in and out of government. In such societies chaos, confusion, despair, ethno-religious crisis and conflicts, poverty and underdevelopment are the underlying factors of engagement due to the general apathy and mutual suspicions among the various nationalities. Citizens are expected to be able to think critically to align the facts and theories learnt through formal education with moral standards to provide solution to societal problems.

On this premise, certificates are paper evidence of the knowledge gained via education/schooling. Certificates only raise the hope of Nigerian parents, employers and society at large that an individual is educated. The knowledge obtained will be the only means through which the certificate will be defended. Nevertheless, certificate is an evidence of education obtained, while knowledge is the bases on which the certificate could be validated. Certificates are obtained for the purpose of increased knowledge, employability, creativity, and adaptability. However, it is dishearten that reports have shown that employers are greatly disappointed in the products of Nigerian tertiary institutions ⁶. In most cases actual performance of Nigerian graduates who have certificates raise doubts about the authenticity and workability of this philosophy. Nigerians who are products of universities are issued with beautiful certificates after passing prescribed courses, while employers complain that many university graduates are poorly prepared for work. Employers compensate for inadequate academic preparation by organizing remedial courses and trainings for new employees. Developed countries subject graduates of our universities to examinations in an attempt to ensure fitness into their own system. Nigerian university education system emphasizes theoretical knowledge at the expense of education for economic development.

3. Acquisition and Application of Knowledge versus Certificate

Acquisition is the act of getting new knowledge that can be transferable on and to the job. This knowledge can be obtained through education, training or experience that will inculcate into the individual how to carry out or discharge effective responsibilities very well with the new knowledge ⁷. The only irreplaceable capital and organization processes are the knowledge and ability of its people. When knowledge is acquired in any discipline, it is assumed that the future gains that would result from it are of greater importance in terms of productivity ⁷. Thus, there is need to bridge the wide gap between the classroom cum certificate and the application of knowledge in the industries.

Then the question is with all the vast network of educated people and institutions in Nigeria, can Nigerians apply knowledge proficiently? The reality is that, one can be educated in certificate form, but not able to apply the knowledge proficiently. Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Application of knowledge encompasses having the skill and intellectual capacity to solve immediate and future problems, knowing how things work through critical thinking, logical reasoning, creativity and innovation. A knowledge based society will have its four pillars as education, research, development and innovation. Such society will not be a prisoner to theoretical principles without practical ability and means required to accomplish some tasks. Therefore, Nigeria may be categorized as a certificate awarding society which places more emphasis on paper qualification, instead of individual competence; skills, creativity, innovation, hard-work, intellect and morals.

The certificate awarding nature of the Nigerian society, has made the tertiary institutions vulnerable for manipulation and abuses, due to the calibre and population of men and women of different creeds, seeking for one paper certificate or the other, not with the mindset of contributing to the development of the country, but with the intents of ravaging the already ravaged system for their selfish advantage. The educational system and failure of sincere leadership are two factors that delay the development of this country. The educational system has no propellers that will energies, conscientise, mobilize, motivate and radically change the mindsets of students to change these historical injustices, hopelessness and confusion. This might be a deliberate policy of government in order not to threaten their power base.

A knowledge based society integrates the fabrics of its cultures and religion into its curriculum, for effective building process of a virile human engine for development. A system that is imbued with culture of co-operation instead of competition, honesty and dedication, patriotism and wholesale building of a virile human personality that think and dream about his country and her various problems, with the, mindset of providing solutions to such. A knowledge based society, is mostly informed by the environmental and historical realities of their coexistence. Ironically, most of the knowledge acquired these days in various schools in Nigeria are likely to make individuals imitators rather than inventors, half intelligent and smart, arrogant rather than humble, individualistic instead of co-operative, greedy rather than generous, promote immorality instead of morality, unpatriotic and corrupt citizens instead of patriotic ones.

Today, Nigerian Engineers enjoys packaging or assembling foreign products rather than inventing themselves. The lawyers allow the judicial system in Nigeria to seriously alienate Nigerians from having access to justice, thus the shyness of the people to report cases in courts, due to the cumbersome nature and processes involve, the amount needed to hire lawyers and time frame before justice that may not be complied with. Little wonder people still prefers traditional ways of settling whatever crisis instead of going to court. The political scientists have failed to come up with a viable political system; instead they keep insisting that there is no alternative to democracy.

Years in, years out, economists continue to trick us with economic statistics and theory without any economic miracle. Some theories are so alien to the environment surrendering our destiny to international financials and monetary agencies. These agencies are not interested in the transformation of the country, except deepening poverty, inequality, exploitation and underdevelopment. These economists without pity and the fear of God appears to partake in the crippling of the country to further their position and selfish gains in the organization they represent.

An educational system that has no direct linkages between what is been taught in primary, secondary, tertiary and the realities of life after studies in the world of opportunities gives hopelessness and confusion. It is interesting to say, that, the essence of acquiring knowledge is to apply it to liberate citizens, solve complex problems, invigorate, concretize and expand the horizons of intelligence of the people. Thus, certificate as an evidence of education is useless without proficient application of knowledge to develop the nation.

4. Education in the 21^st Century: Application of Knowledge Orientation

Traditionally education has been more pre-occupied with the pressures of the present rather than the anticipations of the future. A new context seems to be unfolding, in which the future has to be more deliberately thought of. The future scenarios of the political, social, cultural and economic sectors will depend on the contributions of the graduates of Nigerian tertiary institutions. More than ever before, education must be visionary and future-oriented, in the face of stunning scientific and technological innovations and changes, unprecedented socio-economic challenges and opportunities, surprising socio-political reforms, and amazing cultural reawakening. Education must constantly adapt to the rapid shifts in this 21st Century just as business and industry.

The inevitability of education in knowledge-oriented societies implies that school systems should have different objectives and characteristics than memorization of facts and procedures to get acquire certificates which is not enough for success. In practice, there remains a tendency for school education to be assessed in terms of the application of knowledge for achievements rather than their broader success in laying the foundation for lifelong learning.

In the 21^st century, educated workers need a conceptual understanding of complex concepts, and the ability to work with them creatively to generate new ideas, new theories, new products, and new knowledge ⁸. They need to be able to critically evaluate what they read, be able to express themselves clearly both verbally and in writing, and understand scientific and mathematical reasoning. They need to learn integrated and usable knowledge, rather than the sets of compartmentalized and de-contextualized facts.

21st century education comprises of skills, abilities, and learning dispositions that have been identified as being required for success by educators, business leaders, academics, and governmental agencies in organizations and society. This is part of a growing international movement focusing on the skills required for students to master preparation for success in a rapidly changing, digital society. Many of these skills are also associated with deeper learning, which is based on mastering skills such as analytic reasoning, complex problem solving, and teamwork. These skills differ from traditional academic skills in that they are not primarily content knowledge-based.

During the latter decades of the 20th century and into the 21st century, society has undergone an accelerating pace of change in economy and technology. Its effects on the workplace, and thus on the demands on the educational system preparing students for the workforce have been significant in several ways. As western economies have transformed from industrial-based to service-based, trades and vocations have smaller roles. With this comes a demand for different skills, ones that enable people to be flexible and adaptable in different roles or in different career fields ⁹. Specific hard skills and mastery of particular skill sets, with a focus on digital literacy, are in increasingly high demand ^{10, 11}. People skills that involve interaction, collaboration, and managing others are increasingly important. Skills that enable people to be flexible and adaptable in different roles or in different fields, those that involve processing information and managing people more than manipulating equipment in an office or a factory are in greater demand. These are also referred to as "applied skills" or "soft skills", including personal, interpersonal, or learning-based skills, such as life skills (problem-solving behaviors), people skills, and social skills. The 21^st century skills have been grouped into three main areas:

• Learning and innovation skills: critical thinking and problem solving, communications and collaboration, creativity and innovation

• Digital literacy skills: information literacy, media literacy, Information and communication technologies (ICT) literacy

• Career and life skills: flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self-direction, social and cross-cultural interaction, productivity and accountability

Many of these skills are also identified as key qualities of progressive education, a pedagogical movement that began in the late nineteenth century and continues in various forms to the present.

5. Carving a Niche for Yourself in the 21^st Century

Carving a niche for yourself in the 21^st century implies laying out, designing, planning, devising, and inventing any position of opportunity for which one is well suited such as a particular market in business from an existing or emerging market trends. This is concerned with identifying and placing yourself in a well-suited unique area instead of melting into the status quo. It may involve creating a product, inventing new idea or providing services one can be known for and consistently grow regardless of the challenges that come with the 21^st century. Achieving this aim will only be possible if one can acquire any of the applied skills or soft skills and align them with the education certificates already acquired or about to acquired. In a nutshell, soft skills matter. Certificates collected dwell inside drawer or shelve to keep it safe while the certificate owner function in a way to reveal the education and knowledge acquired in the particular profession. The common core: paths to the 21^st century success is stated in the diagram below.

6. Conclusion

In view of the above, it is pertinent to conclude by giving specific clues on how to become a better professional in the 21^st century, which are:

1. Sharpen your communication skills - Multidirectional communicators

2. Work on your people management skills - Team players relying on joint-decision making than formal authority

3. Be an innovative thinker - Generalists with multiple specialties

4. Develop your business acumen.

5. Continue your education and professional development - Engage in life-long learning

6. Facilitate rather than resist change

7. Ethics will be a forethought rather than afterthought

8. Improve on your digital literacy skills – information literacy, ICT literacy and media literacy.

References