I n his famous allegory “The old cave prisoners’, Plato likens people untutored in the theory of forms to prisoners detained in a cave tied hand to foot with chains. He describes them as captives that are unable to turn their heads having eyes solely focusing on the wall of the cave. Behind their back a flame is seen. Between the prisoners and the fire an object is seen moving.
The chained prisoners do not see the real object that moves behind them but the object’s shadow on the wall of the cave. They would be forced to take the things they see on the wall (the shadow) were real. They have no inkling of the real cause of the shadow. Similarly students of this generation are seen chained and imprisoned in a Plato’s cave like curriculum and educational system from which they seldom learn causes of forms but shadows they could not grasp.
While the new young generation is joining universities with new creative minds, the academic policies and curriculums are still anchored in its oldest conception of learning. I met Torruot Majiok, a fourth year student of Computer Engineering in Dilla University (DU) engaged in his project in an incubation center, to which he and his colleagues were given a green light for their best talents. Majiok is from Gambela, one of the emerging states of Ethiopia.
Given that Majiok hails from a totally agrarian and pastoralist states, one may not expect him to be that talented in computer science. He told me that he counts himself lucky to be admitted to DU’s innovation center. He said, “I am very appreciative of this center that took me on board as one of the talented friends around me. They know a lot of different things and we share great skills together.” Eyob Telahun is in the set of his friends. He is a third-year student admitted to the incubation center for inventing an android application called “New Dilla University Portal”. He created this application prior to joining the center.
As he enjoys full access to internet in the center, he has pressed ahead with new projects like a music streaming program, a trendy online music catalogue that benefits musicians earn more from sells. “Had I not been admitted to this center, my dream of working so hard to create a new thing could not materialize,” he said expressing his gratitude to his friends and the university that enthused him. Eyob had also a chance to participate in the ‘Solve IT! Nationwide Innovation Competition’. The competition encourages generation of young Ethiopians to troubleshoot technological problems in their communities using software.
According to the Incubation Centers’ manager, Gohi over 35 students are admitted to the Research Park. All have different talents in computer Science such as software development and programing, office machine maintenance, networking installation and design. Gohi says, “Among these students, there are even some who dare work on artificial intelligence”. While the establishment of the incubation center is a blessing, hurdles in higher institutions still conspire to tie down youngsters having a creative verve in the technology sector.
Torruot Majiok is a student now trying to develop google translator for his Nuer language. Once he came to my office at midday and asked me about my take on the educational curriculum. Though I attached significance to the question, I was keen to know why he posed it. He told me he is often worried about how knowledge is delivered to students. He said ,“Sadly our academics have fallen prey to a copy-paste tradition.
As he related his experiences to me, I saw that he has understood the insolvent pedagogical paradigm that is forcing the academics experience a downward spiral. Technology colleges in different universities are at their embryonic stage. On one hand, shortages of technological equipment and qualified instructors as well as dependency on theory rather than practice have allowed the problem of quality education to persist. On the other hand, the academic leadership remains at its lowest technological aspirations and dreams.
A fast move out of this trend is exigent as in his theory Paulo Freire condemned it saying “Pedagogy of the oppressed” in which he argued that teachers act as depositors, students as banks (containers), knowledge as a depository and exam as a withdrawal. Majiok learning experience corroborates Freire’s assertion.
“I want to focus on my innovation at the incubation center, while I am expected to invest the major portion of my time in reading materials of each course.” He attends classes of theories with no or less practical test for the concepts. The tradition that ignored students pre-existing knowledge sustains a nonparticipatory design of teaching which discourages creativity.
“Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world,” Fererie argues. To make this true, the academic leadership must engage in material and moral support so that young researchers become talented and able enough to make changes.
To participate in an IT contest with students from different world universities including Oxford, Majiok had gone to China last year. Winning the contest he came back to Ethiopia bagging an award. But upon return, it was a cold greeting he received from the university to say nothing about the necessary recognition from the university. “I garnered the Trophy from China, but here as opposed to my expectation I was given no moral incentive. I could not imagine transformation with such kind of discouraging trend,” he said.
It is worthwhile to argue that the realization of change in technology stems from the true vision of academic leaders. Motivating innovators and incubators rekindles the flames of waning spirits of young men. Unless academics display behavioral change accordingly, holding the generation captive in Plato’s cave, an environment that forbids students an all-inclusive view, would be tantamount to the creation of generation with a conception of only the shadow of forms and having no grasp of the real entity.
A student capable of innovative software and artificial intelligence should not be constrained by lack of fast computers, servers and high definition camera’s in incubation centers. Moral and financial incentives must be given to those who come out of local or international competitions with flying colors. Universities’ ambitious visions cannot see the light of day unless today’s student incubators can feed the awaiting techno generation of tomorrow.
The Ethiopian Herald Sunday Edition May 26/2019
BY ABERA WENDOSON
