Welcome to the 10-episode series on my shocking experience as a millennial lecturer teaching Gen-Z students in a Federal University in Nigeria in the last 12 years. It’s a collection of my classroom interactions with a generation of quick-witted, internet-savvy young adults who are “too bold” for their own good. Read episode 8 here.
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It is no longer news that most students today have lost the steam and passion for education. In fact, many of them are still in school because they do not want to disappoint their parents. They are generally so discouraged to put in the work as they no longer see the benefits of being educated, especially in our systems. This mindset did not fall from the sky; it was birthed by events and circumstances around us today. For example, a school drop-out cashing out from unknown means, sharing a glimpse of his affluence on social media for all to see.
A third-class graduate joining politics and later emerging as a young Government appointee, riding a car worth 45 million naira for doing nothing in particular. A Best graduating student of a university whose convocation prize is N5,000 (without any job offer) after 4-5 years of sheer hardwork on campus. A student who never attends classes but already becoming a force on Tiktok, signing endorsement deals with large corporations. A First-class graduate who is still unemployed 3 years after graduation because his skillsets are not in demand by the current workplace.
The examples are almost endless.
These events over time inspired the “school na scam” mantra, purported by most Gen-Z students today on social media. Many of them may not admit it but they display it in their attitude towards academic work. They arrive late to class or even exam halls perpetually and unapologetically; they refuse to turn in their assignments and come up with a white lie to cover up their lapses; those who then decide to submit assignments copy from themselves without making any effort to comprehend the subject matter.
A critical evaluation of these issues will reveal how complex they are, caused by multifaceted factors. Hence, why Gen-Z students alone can not be held responsible for their reactions toward education. Our education system itself in the last 20 years has also not been inspiring. And that is the blatant truth! Which probably explains why about 70% failed UTME this year and universities are compelled to keep reducing their entry standards if they must admit students each year.
My Gen-Z students are not immuned to this viral infection of education apathy. However, I have observed over the years that my students tend to perform better and are more positive whenever I decide to use myself as a good example and a beacon of hope that education still matters irrespective of the events around them.
For example, I taught a class on Cytology recently and I noticed that anytime I talked about different types of microscopes, they follow me, but I can see through their eyes that they feel the topic is a waste of their time. However, when I decided to mention a situation where I used the scanning electron microscope (SEM) during my PhD at the University of Manchester, UK, and how I was able to view particles of sands as large rocks, indicating the essence of weathering, their faces lit up and were interested to hear more.
I went a step further to display micrographs I took during my PhD as well as a Best Poster Presentation Award I obtained for works produced by the SEM, and that’s how I got even the most notorious student in class to be glued to my slides in astonishment.
I realised, as Millennial lecturers, one of the quick-fix approaches to manage the current loss of interest in classrooms, is to use ourselves as excellent examples that education still remains a natural means of wealth creation, global relevance, and an effective social leveler.
Today’s young people only have bad examples all around them. We must counter such one-sided narratives by showcasing ourselves with intentionality as good examples to follow with a healthy mindset and the right content of character.
These actions may appear small but a collection of them will surely have a sustainable impact on our students if their future is a concern to us.
From the rubbles, we can still raise diamonds!
Let’s not give up.
I hope you enjoyed Episode 9?
Watch out for Episode 10.
