Hello and good afternoon...
I've been inactive for a while now and it's mainly because I've been busy with exams. A while back, a thought occurred to me. Slowly coming to the end of a very hectic semester, I found myself particularly reflective on the value I have gained from schooling. I can't say It hasn't done me any good but on second thoughts, it probably has done more harm than good. I realized that generally my development as an individual or should I say as a person has been more of a personal effort with a little help from friends and family. This shouldn't be the case. School should be a community where we can develop ourselves not just in academia but also as people, as individuals; adding significant value to our personalities. Have you ever sat back and pondered over the educational system in Ghana or elsewhere generally(I believe education all around the world is almost the same). And has it ever occurred to you that maybe our educational system is failing us?
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[Image Source](https://www.google.com/search?q=failed+test&sxsrf=AOaemvLR-ofVm_IjtRc6S4qETi84S__aEw:1631374208759&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiBtNXBnvfyAhXMA2MBHUx0CiIQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&cshid=1631374239538451&biw=1707&bih=857&dpr=2.25#imgrc=Tmr-Q59kJ8kJhM&imgdii=1hcQ9KGPvMnapM)
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These days, it seems there is little about learning in school. It's all about getting the highest grades, nailing that test, or being the best student on campus. Many students aren't acquiring any knowledge at all. It seems one of the only ways to make our parents proud is by hitting those high grades. Often the only situation you a parent go "I'm proud of you son" is when they perform "excellently" in exams or tests. Grades are now determining how smart you are, how bright your future looks, and even to the extent of determining the type of schools you deserve to be in or do not deserve to be in. The so-called best students go to the best schools leaving the others behind. Ironic huh. I believe we are all smart and special in our very own unique ways.

Mediocre grades + no academic awards or achievements  = end of your life 😐right? I beg to differ. 

Education now determines how far in life you make it which shouldn't be the case. School should be a community that guides you to reveal your true potential and help you develop it and yourself as a whole.
Let's take it from another angle. Most lecturers and teachers now don't care about their students. They are all focused on their reputation and creating the delusion that they're imparting unto us any knowledge at all. Most of them just come to class and teach whatever it is they have to, without really caring about if we understand or are following. Why are examination malpractices rising? Exams these days aren't conducted to test or understanding of syllabus but in reality, are now just criteria to check how smart or dumb a student is. When a student fails a test, the notion isn't that he doesn't understand what was taught but rather that the student is dumb or just didn't study enough which is shouldn't be the case. Our grades have now become more important than our education itself.
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[Image Source](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fenezaeducation.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F10%2Fparents-11-tips-help-teen-transform-failing-grades.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fenezaeducation.com%2Fwhy-failure-should-never-be-used-to-break-students%2Fparents-11-tips-help-teen-transform-failing-grades%2F&tbnid=cJZV1aMjXj7ZXM&vet=10CBoQxiAoCWoXChMI0IjRqp_38gIVAAAAAB0AAAAAEBY..i&docid=805pgyNMdpTOFM&w=600&h=400&itg=1&q=failed%20test&ved=0CBoQxiAoCWoXChMI0IjRqp_38gIVAAAAAB0AAAAAEBY#imgrc=cJZV1aMjXj7ZXM&imgdii=auawz7OXKeNBXM)
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I don't blame students for having to resort to cheating on tests or exams because no one wants to be look down on as a failure. After all, we are only human and it's only human to survive by any means possible.
Our educational system is failing us and needs drastic improvement. What's your take ?