At school several learners don’t know what they are going to do after finishing their O and A-levels. Some learners are going to school because their parents want them to be at school. Some learners at Advanced Level don’t even know why they are doing that combination.
Some just followed their friends because they were doing such a combination. It’s common to hear a learner doing arts at O-level saying I want to pursue accounting or marketing. Those at O-level are not sure which subjects they should take at Advanced Level. Some learners are shunning arts thinking that you won’t do anything productive if you do arts subjects. A learner might end up studying sciences, when they are not good at them and end up failing dismally.
Learners should identify their gift and purpose on earth. There is a purpose for each and every one on earth. What is it that you are good at, that you do without feeling any pain or pressure but feel the pleasure and enjoy doing it, that’s your gift. Some are good in sports, singing doing drama et cetera.
Pursue what you are good at. Do your learning fully knowing what you want to do in future.
Several learners after completing high school see themselves doing degrees that they don’t want. This is because they failed to align their subjects at Advanced Level.
They end up working and not enjoying their work. Identify your gift now and pursue it, do subjects that are going to align you with the correct degree programme that you will be offered at University. Don’t copy someone’s else gift, pursue your vision.
Search thoroughly on the degree programme that you want to pursue and know the points that are wanted for you to be enrolled in that programme. This is good because you will start working fully knowing the number of points you are expected to get. Several learners again end up doing degrees that they don’t want because they didn’t research on the expected points for various degrees.
A number of arts learners only know about the law degree and social work. There are a number of good degrees for arts students at different universities. For you to do a law degree, in most cases you should obtain 15 points. Learners fail to obtain these points and they end up being absorbed in other degree programmes that they never expected to do.
Research on different degrees that are offered by different universities and know their expectations. Doing a degree programme for the sake of doing a degree usually results in stress and demotivation to a learner.
In Zimbabwe there are several universities. These universities offer good programmes to learners. However, nowadays many learners are shunning these local universities and follow other well up learners with parents who are wealthy.
Some learners stress their parents by making them apply to outside universities which are expensive and beyond their reach. Parents end up selling everything in order to raise fees and air ticket for their children. Some are even borrowing to raise the air tickets to send that learner to outside universities.
This isn’t proper, if your parents can’t afford outside universities, be content and apply at any local universities or colleges.
Besides going to universities a learner can also enrol in tertiary institutes such as Teachers’ colleges, Polytechnics and Vocational training centres. Some learners are gifted in using their hands, designing artefacts, sewing, metal work, drawing, carpentry et cetera. Some are gifted in teaching, admit that and go to the teachers college, some are going to be pastors, admit that and go to the theological college.
This is how life was designed. We have different gifts, don’t copy anyone, follow your passion and vision, pursue your future.
The same applies to those doing O-level, some learners are already in commercial classes but are not talented in commercial disciplines. Learners are shunning subjects where their strength are, this again is making learners not perform well in their examinations.
O-level learners should identify their strength and pursue those subjects that will make them excel in their studies. There are several people who are doing well in life despite doing arts at school because they followed their heart’s desires.
A better future is waiting for you. Draw your vision now and pursue it. Align yourself correctly. Greatness is within you and is waiting for you.
Extracts from the novel, The Right Steps written by Manners Msongelwa. Manners Msongelwa is the president of History Teacher’s of Zimbabwe and a teacher at Camelot College in Kwekwe