Opinion: Talent-based learning must take over rigid system of academics

Envisage an Africa with a novel and proficient education system. One that promotes innovation and eschews rhetoric theories. A system well designed and calculated to avert the continent from the backlash of brain drain and lack of specialisation. One that is devoid of rigid policies that devour upon the fabric of the gifted and talented.

It is regrettable that the familiar adage “everyone is able but most people never open the package” is a profound reflection in our society today. The significance of the modern educational techniques can hence not be underestimated as they may help to solve most problems facing the sector.

As a culture we project our own norms, values, expectations, “head-sets,” and beliefs onto kids/potential learners/students. We often create curricula which has little relevance for many students. Not all students can become “Renaissance People,” nor should they. Different strengths in brain functioning require different educational technologies. The “core” is within the student; forcing a “core” onto students frequently creates resistance, avoidance, angst, pain. We all know the drill.

We are on the brink of disaster in terms of a lack of educational success with a huge segment of our people. It’s time to break down rigid structures that sustain failure and promote methods which do not meet huge numbers of students potentials. Each and every student represents a microcosm of our culture’s success or failure going forward. The tap of talents or knowledge of talents in Africa remains one of the hot topics in societies with no real action. “Talents and gifts” are easily mixed up to mean sports, music, arts, etc. Education thus remains a routine in Africa where students “cram or memorise” tutors notes, and reproduce them onto foolscaps during examinations. The net result is a collection of papers in the form of certificates.

In developed countries like US, UK, Canada, etc students are assessed for their Gifts and Talents before admission and by extension adults are equally assessed for their experiential knowledge before registration. This assessment is focused on one’s inner talents, which form “long-lasting career focus,” hence the said candidates are able to know their real careers 20-30 years in advance.

Learning is, thus, embedded in a “Talent Prescription” and not the usual academic structures based on a rigid syllabus. Such can be seen in sports men and women who spend 2 hours in class but 6 or more hours on a tennis court, for example, where their talents lie.

The system is hinged on the Millennium Learning Goals and aims at connecting learners with relevant “talent-based” learning opportunities. As such the GATES Group connects international academic and non-academic institutions with learners who would otherwise be “lost in the traditional academic systems” yet capable of influencing change and ushering in a new world.

In so doing many young people have been able to know their true talents, get hooked onto learning opportunities that match their talents and achieve their diplomas, bachelors or masters degrees or doctoral degrees purely based on their talents. Accordingly, the learners get connected to “international universities that understand education based on talents.”

Mature Students with Mature Talent, who may have dropped off the traditional “memorize or cram notes for the sake of examinations,” and related challenges, have also found an opportunity to advance their careers without having to start at low levels yet they have proven experience backed with real world achievement.

For this reason, talent does not mean being bright or exceptional. It means knowing individual core of a person and using the same to provide pathways for success. So inhibitors like autism, cerebral palsy, dyslexia, speech appriax, etc can no longer be viewed as problems; rather they can be used or reversed in the process of Talent Based Learning hence these people can still learn and become independent. Unfortunately, in Africa, talent sadly means being very clever or unique

.This has made Talent Based Learning be confused with academics. Talent, being the core, is the basic unit of intelligence hence learning. It is by knowing your true talent that you can be able to know what to learn and what will support it. You can thus see that academics are mere supporters of talent yet it is glorified at the expense of talent. No wonder the many confusions and incessant changes in education systems. That is why Talent Based Learning must take over in Africa.