Integrating moral, intellectual, and cognitive development in the teaching and learning domains of South Sudan
The author, Ustaz John Garang Ayii Riak, is a Master’s Degree Student on Comparative Education Program, Zhejiang Normal University, East China
By Ustaz Abraham Mabior Rioc, Juba, South Sudan
Sunday, February 9, 2020 (PW) — Today’s education in some underdeveloped nation-states, there are surprising learning outcomes that can be noticeably observed among the fresh graduates. In South Sudan specifically, many learners have different perceptions of the type of education and skills one is pursuing at any level of education. Such confusion in the acquisition of professional skills and knowledge sometimes leads to poor quality of graduates in terms of moral, spiritual, intellectual, and cognitive development.
Practically and observably, some students acquire proficient skills in writing, speaking, and carrying mathematical calculations. This introduces learners to basic communication and knowledge which can prepare them for high schooling. Conversely, secondary education remains a vital part to be internalized by the learners. Equally important, this educational level opens one’s professional pathway to develop professional interest and gives students a clear picture of what they would like to study at the tertiary level. However, such efforts at the level of high school are still less attuned to professional development in South Sudan.
In my view, education offered at the secondary school level could be geared towards directing students to develop an interest in their potential specializations. This should, however, depend on the academic and career choices especially when the learners are allowed to choose the sections whether sciences or arts domains. Though the choice of the students on subjects to be selected is apparently made compulsory and optional, still, an academic journey is set for a student to develop conjectural curiosity on the learning section one should take––either arts or sciences.
In my recent conversations with some students at the high school level, who were about to choose either arts or sciences patterns regarding one’s future area of specialization, most of them seemed to be confused about what to specialize in at the university level. To my earnest observation, I was a bit dumbfounded when most of them could not tell me their professional aspiration at the college level.
In fact, I have been of the view that most of the students should be given career guidance choices or seminars on what subjects to choose from when they are selecting their subjects in the third year of high school. In my view, I presume that a student should project at least three university courses so that he or she will be able to develop some interest and academic abilities in the course of schooling.
Profession–wise, when I read between the lines of the acquired professional knowledge and skills among some graduates, I could sometimes sense a lack of professional significance and intellectual discernment. In light of this, I feel that learners should really learn and internalize fourfold interests such as knowledge construction, fact-based inquiry, and communicational skills. To be effective in one’s professional life, tertiary education should place more emphasis on the professional, personal, and intellectual development of students.
Undeniably, these are the basic prerequisites for a professional to acquire before joining the labor market. Realistically, South Sudan as a young nation categorically needs to invest in such basic requirements of a professional because they seem to be lacking among the university outputs.
Principally, personal development should be based on one’s goals because it gives the learners the efforts leading to intellectual and personal development. In this respect, self-development and developing others should always remain a worthwhile goal to be achieved by emerging and practicing professionals from all fields. This is because well-formulated goals in education open ways for success by challenging our thinking directions in terms of professional services being offered to the society.
Indeed, the level of one’s confidence in adopting and implementing professional goals makes huge progress towards an ideal and meaningful life. So, holistic education in this sense, should always treat the body, mind, and soul as equally important partners in the knowledge construction and acquiring skills. It is believed that professional and intellectual goals acquired through one’s learning help a person to deal with difficult people, the situation as well as obtaining management skills needed by the global market.
Still, setting personal and professional goals requires discipline, time, and humility. In so doing, it decisively leads to discovering the true meaning of personal life and well-being per se. Certainly, focusing on professional motive in education remains an all-inclusive approach because it instills positive attitudes that can be used to build healthy relationships with others in the wider community. Yet, such a relationship should not be manipulative, non-abusive, and so they should be in line with the value of peace and consistent with one vision of a fairer world and beautiful life.
As far as professional capital in education is concerned, I believe that placing more emphasis on moral, spiritual, intellectual, and cognitive development in students may help make the education system more relevant to answer our endless and varied problems in our beloved Country––The Republic of South Sudan.
The author is an aspiring community educator, freelance writer, and researcher who holds dual master’s degrees in Education from the University of Juba and The University of Hong Kong respectively. He is electronically reachable at mabiorrioc@gmail.com.
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