Wednesday, 19 September 2007

Are we quality students?

I have been asking myself this question for the past two weeks as to what kind of "future" managers are we going to be.

It is not an easy task to measure quality as far as students are concerned because distinctions which they get from their examinations in institutions they have attended is not a true reflection of what they know - but somewhat a reflection of what they were able to reproduce especially looking at Accounting, Mathematics, Economics, etc.

This is a result of myself being a man in a class of students whose majority were women and failed to answer questions put to them by a lecturer and it was very disturbing to find that a class of more than twenty to fifty students could hardly attempt to answer possed questions.

Throughtout my observation, i came to the conclusion that:

  • students do not want to do their own research;
  • students are lazy;
  • they want to be fed with information which they didn't take any initiative to find;
  • they do not want to ask questions where they do not understand and they would rather sit with their "vague" understanding;
  • even if they do not understand in class - they even fail to ask they lecturer in his/her office;
  • they do not want to read;
  • they do not want to consult with relevant people

It is worrisome that they same students who fail to thinking critically - want to be put in strategic positions in private or public organization yet failing to show their critical and analytical participation and contribution and understanding in the classroom.

One then should ask: Should we hire such "unproductive" people in strategic positions in our organizations let alone any other position?

What is even worse is that - majority of those students are women. Could the reason for some women not being progressive in life, and their respective careers be as a result of not taking the initiatives of their lives - be it life in general or careerwise?

I just wonder - how do you or organizations empower someone who doesn't show the initiative to be empowered - especially looking at Women Empowerment in South Africa?

It is therefore, not surprising for men to be more advance and progressive than their counter-parts - women.

No comments: