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AI is Here. Will You Have a Job?

Reimagining Higher Education in Sierra Leone



In Sierra Leone, higher education has long been seen as the gateway to earning a certificate—essentially a paper qualification that promises a job or career. The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will force us to question how and why we educate. Should our universities focus on preparing students for the future by integrating AI into the curriculum, or is there a deeper purpose to education that has been long overlooked? Is the goal simply to churn out paper certificates, or should we be fostering critical thinkers, creators, and contributors to society?


At the core of this debate lies a broader question: What is the purpose of higher education in Sierra Leone? For many students, the answer seems clear: college is about getting a certificate to secure a job. But as AI increasingly enters the classroom and the workforce, it's time to rethink this narrow view of education and focus on what truly matters in preparing students for the future.


The "Cram and Pass" and "Job Training" Fallacy in Sierra Leone's Higher Education System


In Sierra Leone, like many other nations, the predominant belief is that the purpose of higher education is to cram and pass or to prepare students for the job market. This "cram & pass" and "job training" mindset influences how students, faculty, and administrators view the academic experience. The curriculum is often designed with the primary goal of just getting a paper, or helping students secure employment after graduation. This perspective has led to a mindset where students are less concerned with the educational process and more focused on the product: the paper certificate. 


Many Sierra Leonean students view their college experience as a set of hurdles to jump through—each course, each assignment, and each exam is simply a step towards that coveted certificate. The underlying question for many students is: "How will this class help me get a job?" Even as technology advances and artificial intelligence changes the landscape of work, the focus remains on delivering a product—usually in the form of academic papers, projects, and exams—which students often see as the necessary currency for obtaining a job, not the process of intellectual growth.


In this context, recruiting assignment/homework helpers or cheating to pass the exam are often seen as aids for students to reach the end. The idea that a student's work can be outsourced—so long as it results in the desired outcome—becomes less controversial, as students simply want the product (the grade, the certificate). However, this attitude underscores a fundamental misunderstanding of the true purpose of education.


Generative Education: Beyond Job Training


What if the ultimate purpose of higher education was not to produce a product—whether an essay, a report, or a test result—but to shape students into well-rounded, critical thinkers and creators? What if the point of assignments, such as writing essays or conducting research, wasn't just to produce a finished product, but to foster intellectual growth, creativity, and the ability to think deeply?


Generative education challenges the notion that education is merely about creating external products. Instead, it emphasizes the importance of the process—the development of the student. Using writing as an example, the point of an academic writing assignment is not to create an essay to be graded, but to create a writer—someone who can think critically, express ideas clearly, and engage in the world of ideas. It's about shaping a student into someone capable of independent thought and creativity.


Just as a weightlifter builds muscle by lifting weights, students develop their intellectual strength by engaging in the difficult work of thinking, writing, and creating. If the purpose of writing assignments were simply to produce an essay, then relying on someone to do it for you, or relying on AI to generate that essay would make sense. But if the point is to develop a student's abilities to think critically, express themselves clearly, and develop their unique ideas, then outsourcing that task undermines the very essence of education.


AI in the Context of Sierra Leonean Education


In Sierra Leone, where the value of higher education is often seen through the narrow lens of obtaining a paper certificate, the introduction of AI into the academic environment will present both an opportunity and a challenge. AI can certainly be a helpful tool—whether it's assisting students with research or helping faculty with administrative tasks. However, it should not become a crutch that students rely on for completing assignments.


For instance, students might be tempted to ask AI tools to write their essays or solve problems for them, in the hopes of obtaining a better grade. But doing so denies them the true value of their academic work: the opportunity to engage with ideas, build their critical thinking skills, and grow as individuals. By relying on AI, students miss the joy and intellectual satisfaction that comes from crafting an argument, finding a solution, or expressing a thought in their own words.


If we want our graduates to thrive in an AI-driven world, we need to ensure that they can do things AI cannot: think critically, analyze complex problems, create new ideas, and engage meaningfully with the world. AI can support these efforts, but it should not replace the very skills that make us human.


The Importance of Shaping the Student, Not Just the Product


Education should never be solely about getting a certificate. If we reframe the purpose of education, we begin to see that the focus should shift from external outcomes (such as grades and degrees) to internal transformation. The goal of education is to produce generative individuals—those who are capable of thinking critically, acting creatively, and contributing meaningfully to their communities and society.


In Sierra Leone, where many students come from challenging socio-economic backgrounds, the role of education as a transformational tool cannot be overstated. Higher education should help shape not just a student's knowledge base but their character, their creativity, and their ability to contribute to the growth of their nation. By focusing on the process of learning rather than the product, colleges and universities can cultivate a generation of thinkers who will drive innovation and progress in Sierra Leone.


Moreover, by prioritizing generative education, we equip students with the skills they need to navigate an ever-changing job market. Critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity are not just valuable in the classroom—they are crucial in the workplace. While AI may play a role in the future of work, human creativity and ingenuity will remain essential.


The Path Forward for Sierra Leone's Learning Institutions


To foster a more robust and transformative educational system, Sierra Leone's universities need to shift their focus from simply preparing students for jobs to preparing them for life—a life that requires constant learning, adaptability, and creativity. This will involve rethinking how we view the purpose of assignments and coursework, shifting the focus from simply producing a product to nurturing the students themselves.


Faculty members should be empowered to integrate AI tools into the classroom in ways that enhance, rather than replace, the learning process. For instance, AI can be used as a resource for students to refine their ideas, clarify their thoughts, and support their research. However, the emphasis should always be on developing the student as a thinker, not merely as a consumer of information or a producer of assignments.


By embracing generative education, Sierra Leone can ensure that its universities are not only preparing students for the job market but also for a lifetime of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and meaningful contribution to society.


Pre-Thinking/Rethinking the Role of AI in Higher Education


Sierra Leone's educational system should evolve. We know we are not there yet when comparing to advance nations. Now is the time we must reexamine the purpose of higher education itself. AI is here to stay, and it will eventually make many jobs obsolete. But its role in the classroom should be to enhance the educational process—not to replace the critical work of developing students into thinkers, creators, and lifelong learners. Curriculums should focus on generative education to ensure that students not only receive a certificate but are also prepared to face the complexities of the future with creativity, critical thinking, and a commitment to lifelong learning.


In this new age, higher education must be about more than simply preparing students for a job—it must be about shaping individuals who are capable of contributing to the growth and prosperity of Sierra Leone, both intellectually and creatively. Through generative education, we can unlock the full potential of our students and empower them to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

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© 2023 by Richard Konteh (The Unifier) Campaign

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