From Gifted to Lost: How to prevent it
Last week, I stumbled upon a Reddit conversation thread that left me curious and borderline offended by the education system. The anonymous author asks, “Did anyone excel in school but struggle in the real world?”. The author further describes their educational background, which was a marriage between the curiosity of Albert Einstein without the controversy and the clarity of Aristotle. However, upon graduation, the anonymous author discovers the nature of the working environment to be unsatisfactory. Terming the lack of independent thinking and compromise, especially with teams, and the overwhelming imposter syndrome as a considerable factor. I was soaked in the comments section's marinade. It buzzed with relatable responses and fictional scenarios; everyone wanted to shed light on this phenomenon.
Students aren’t supposed to struggle. They’re seen as future leaders, innovators, and high achievers. So why do so many feel lost in the real world? The point is—my anonymous author is on to something. The problem is not intelligence but rather how they were prepared for life.
The Hidden Crisis of Educated Students.
The education system has focused on rewarding clarity, structure, and the proper responses. But real life is messy, ambiguous, and uncertain. This system sets you up to excel in a predictable system where effort equals results. The traditional education system in many African countries has historically emphasized clarity, structure, and the pursuit of correct answers. However, real-world challenges are often complex, ambiguous, and uncertain. This educational approach may not adequately prepare students for environments where creativity and flexibility are essential.
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) has highlighted concerns regarding essential skills such as problem-solving and adaptability among students, despite their academic achievements. This discrepancy suggests that while students may excel in structured academic settings, they often struggle to navigate the complexities of real-world situations that demand innovative thinking and adaptability.
The Misconception: “They Peaked Too Early”
If you haven't considered it yet, observe someone in your network. Do they reminisce about their school days? Are they stuck on how they performed better than John on that one final test? Do they focus on how well they did on a subject? In contrast, are they struggling to navigate life? If you answered yes to these questions, you probably assumed they peaked in school. The true nature affirms that schools focus on preparing students for tests, while universities tend to prepare them for academic careers. But who truly prepares them for life after school?
The Education System Needs to Rebuild
The cliffhanger presents a systemic solution to the notion of peaking early. Why not redefine the education system to deliver impact while incorporating real-world knowledge? This may involve an additional curriculum on career readiness or experiential learning to provide clarity. Our children should stop focusing on winning at school and start equipping themselves to navigate the real world after school. Isn't that the end goal?
Imagine if education emphasized:
✅ Digitally driven learning: Students have a virtual experience, can study from anywhere, and enjoy a world-class curriculum and consistent academic guidance to support their unique learning needs.
✅ Collage and Career support: Students have exclusive access to a career coaching team through LIVE group and 1:1 sessions, webinars, and career exploration tools.
✅ Emotional Intelligence and resilience: Success isn’t just about IQ. It’s about learning how to handle failure, uncertainty, and self-doubt. Through emotional intelligence and resilience, students gain confidence, improve their speaking skills, foster empathy, hone their negotiation skills, build trust, refine their interpersonal relationships, and more.
This isn’t just about redefining education for the kids—it’s about creating a generation of thinkers, doers, and leaders who can thrive beyond the classroom.
A Smarter Future Starts
Educators, Leaders, parents, and policymakers:
We must rethink how we nurture students' talents. A future where bright minds feel lost and unfulfilled is our system's failure—not our students.
That’s why we’re building an online community designed to help students.
My anonymous author should have received this option. The conversation on Reddit could have been different.
Join the solution