HomeOpinionWhat Makes School a...

What Makes School a Scam, Money or Education?

By Olorunfunmi Adeniyi

Money adds a meaningful value to an individual’s life. It is a medium of exchange that is centralized, generally accepted, recognized, and facilitates transactions of goods and services.

It is often defined in three terms: It serves as a medium of exchange, as a store of value, and as a unit of account.

For this reason, money has become a great asset to human endeavours.

It is something human beings can not live without in this current century. Money!… Popularly known as “OWÓ” in the Yoruba language, and also used as a proverb that “OWÓ ÀPÈKÁNUKÒ”, which loosely translates it is “impossible to pronounce money [“OWÓ”] without pouting the lips”.

Literally, money is involved in almost every needs, wants, and activities that humans need to survive in life.

“Education” on the other hand, is the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally preparing oneself or others intellectually for a mature life.

According to Aristotle, “Education” is the creation of a sound mind in a sound body. He further stated that It develops man’s faculty, especially his mind so that he may be able to enjoy the contemplation of supreme truth, goodness and beauty of which perfect happiness essentially consists.

Also, according to Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose “Dr GAB”, “Education” is anything that makes you a useful human being.

He noted that many “educated” people who claim to be a graduate are only walking around with just a receipt without a product. This means that education makes you a productive human being, and by being a productive human being, you are said to be a useful human being.

Truly, not everyone wants to be a lecturer or school staff or working around the school premises but then you can be anything you want if you are determined and consistent about it.

Although, in the opinion of many in a public context, if this question is asked, I can vouch that sixty to seventy per cent will go for money or pick money over education.

The saying that “education is the best legacy” has changed in this current generation, “making money is the best legacy”.

In this piece, I will be discussing the benefits of education and how to make money with it.

Back to the question of what makes school a scam? In contrary to this question, “school is not a scam, na you no just sabi book”.

However, you can make money with education if you’re truly educated, and to be educated, you must have achieved three things.

According to Dr Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose, education must help you achieve three effective things: Think logically, act creatively, and survive in a rapidly changing world. This insinuates that education will help you to think logically, which money can not.

Even if you have billions of naira, if you’re not educated enough to know how to spend it, the money won’t be valuable.

Education will help you act creatively, i.e education will help you act differently from an illiterate in any organization. Education will help you survive in a rapidly changing world, i.e. the world changes over time and for you to be an educated being, you should be able to survive in it. All these are things education will help you achieve which money can not.

Moving on, while everyone might have a different definition of education, its importance remains undisputed. By receiving a systematic education, people gain knowledge and develop skills and character traits crucial for a certain standard of life.

Benefits of education:

Career Advancement

If you have already joined the workforce and love your job, you might think you don’t need to pursue a college or university education.

I am here to tell you that a college degree can have other benefits than just landing you a job. By receiving higher education, you gain the knowledge and skills that will give you a competitive edge and allow you to advance your career in a chosen field.

Critical-Thinking Skills

Higher education equips you with the knowledge and skills necessary to join the workforce.

One of the most vital skills you will develop when pursuing a college degree is the ability to think critically.

Critical thinking skills are an advantage and sometimes even a requirement to succeed in your career. By developing critical-thinking skills, you can improve your work’s quality, solve problems, and prevent possible issues that might arise.

Self-Discipline

The amount of work that one has to put in to get a college degree is sometimes precisely what improves one’s self-discipline.

When pursuing higher education, you have assignments that you must deliver on time and tests you must study for, all of which require self-discipline. Improved self-discipline will, in turn, help you in your future career by making you a reliable and hardworking team member.

Cognitive And Communication Skills

Learning how to communicate with others is a highly valuable skill in the job market and one that will significantly contribute to your career success.

Pursuing a university or college degree is a great way to develop your cognitive and communication skills further.

During your studies, you will constantly be in contact and collaborate with colleagues and professors, giving you insight into a typical work environment.

Equality and Empowerment

One of the most important benefits of education is probably the promotion of equality and empowerment within society.

Higher education can make people more open-minded in accepting others’ ideas and opinions regardless of race, gender, age, etc.

In addition, education empowers people through expert knowledge and valuable skills and gives them the mental capacity to make decisions and create a life of their own independently.

Education Content Writing Skill

As an educator, you’re an expert. As such, you can use your expertise to gain freelance writing and/or editing work.

Everything from education journals to test-prep centres to educational institutions to educator-focused websites needs qualified educators to write and edit content.

Typically, you can charge by the hour or by the project. You can also;

  • Work as a Tutor
  • Teach Online
  • Sell Teaching Materials and Courses
  • Work as a Public Speaker
  • Create Educational Technology

In conclusion, don’t just use money to buy education, but make money with education. Education is the best legacy, but money is what adds value to education.


Olorunfunmi Quadri Adeniyi writes from the Lagos State University (LASU).

Disclaimer

It is the policy of NewsWireNGR not to endorse or oppose any opinion expressed by a User or Content provided by a User, Contributor, or another independent party. Opinion pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of NewsWireNGR.

Always visit NewsWireNGR for the latest Naija news and updated Naija breaking news.

NewsWireNGRLatest News in Nigeria

Send Us A Press Statement/News Tips on 9ja Happenings: [email protected].

Advertise With Us: [email protected]

Contact Us

LISTEN to NewsWireNGR PODCASTS

- A word from our sponsors -

spot_img

Most Popular

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

More from Author

- A word from our sponsors -

spot_img

Read Now

Lazarus Angbazo: Beyond Roads and Power, Who Will Finance Human Capital Infrastructure for Africa’s Workforce?

By Lazarus Angbazo |  [email protected] Africa is entering one of the most ambitious periods of infrastructure and industrial investment in its history. Governments are expanding power generation, transport networks, ports, industrial parks, and digital infrastructure, while African private sector leaders are making unprecedented long-term commitments to manufacturing and industrial...

Residents: Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Self Storage Facility in Philadelphia

Finding the ideal self-storage unit can be challenging, especially in Philadelphia, where options abound. Many residents seek facilities that not only safeguard their belongings but also provide value and convenience. In this article, you'll learn the key factors to consider when selecting a self-storage facility in the...

“No Victor, No Vanquished” — Angbazo calls for unity after Nasarawa ADC Governorship Primary win

LAFIA — Retired General Nuhu Angbazo has emerged victorious from the Africa Democratic Congress, ADC, governorship primaries in Nasarawa State, calling on all party faithful to sheathe their swords and rally behind a common vision for the state's development. In a press statement issued shortly after his victory...

Lazarus Angbazo: The Countries that will lead the AI Economy are being decided right Now — By Their PowerGrids

Nigeria has enough installed generation to power a mid-sized country. The grid delivers less than half of it. Around the world, the race to build AI-ready power infrastructure is already underway — and the decisions African governments and investors make in the next eighteen months will determine...

Cheta Nwanze: Failed visa Marriages

by Cheta Nwanze The 1990 film Green Card told a relatively innocent story: a French immigrant and an American woman enter a marriage of convenience so he can stay in the US. They barely know each other. They hope never to see each other again after the deal...

Digital Marketing for Attorneys

In the competitive landscape of legal services, personal injury and medical malpractice attorneys are finding themselves overshadowed by competitors who dominate online visibility. The root of this issue lies in the digital presence that many firms lack. While traditional word-of-mouth referrals still hold value, the digital age...

Lazarus Angbazo: The global power industry is leaving Africa behind

 Dr. Lazarus AngbazoThe nascent AI revolution is not just driving electricity consumption and massive demand for additional capacity—it is reshaping how power is built, maintained, and delivered. For Africa, the real risk is no longer just insufficient capacity—it is also losing control and ability to manage the capacity it...

Bunmi Onabanjo-Kuku: The first thing you feel when you land in Nigeria

By Bunmi Onabanjo-Kuku The first thing you feel when you land in a country is not its culture, not its cuisine, not its people. It is its airport. That threshold, the space between the jet bridge and the city beyond, tells you everything a nation believes about itself...

Dr. Lazarus Angbazo: Why a fractured world strengthens the case for African Infrastructure

How inflation, energy insecurity, power scarcity, and geopolitical fragmentation are reshaping the risk-return case for African infrastructure By Dr. Lazarus Angbazo At a recent global infrastructure summit, the prevailing mood among institutional investors was unmistakable. Faced with surging capital requirements for energy transition, grid expansion, and digital infrastructure in Europe and...

Aliko Dangote to launch what could become Africa’s largest initial public offering to raise $5 billion from investors

Nigeria’s biggest local investor, Aliko Dangote, is moving ahead with plans to launch what could become Africa’s largest initial public offering, as Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals prepares to raise up to $5 billion from investors. The share sale is expected to open as early as May, with...

Criminal networks have turned Nigeria’s telecom towers into open-air warehouses for theft, looting

Criminal networks have turned Nigeria’s telecom towers into open-air warehouses for theft, looting 656 critical power assets across 14 states in 2025 alone and keeping up the pace in early 2026. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) data showed the haul included 152 generators and 504 batteries stolen from...

Paul Yirenkyi: A call for Caution Needed, President Tinubu and the INEC-ADC Crisis

I have seen enough cycles of tension and resolution to recognise when restraint must prevail over confrontation. The current standoff between the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is one such moment. In early April 2026, INEC withdrew recognition of the Senator...