Redefining courage; Lessons for education

By Baleng Wutor Mahama. Baleng is a 21 year old third year pre-medical student at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana. He is from Tumu, Ghana. *Shortlisted for the NUHA Adult Blogging Prize 2014*

Growing up as a child, one of the people I have come to identify with and in fact whose memory I will forever cherish is that of the first black president of South Africa Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. We loved Madiba as he is referred to in his native Xhosa clan so much that we knew him more than ourselves. It became a habit therefore to memorize the many poignant quotes that Mandela made one of which is his famous axiom that “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear”. I could not agree more to this eternal truth that has within itself a lot of wisdom we can tap from if we are to overcome the plethora of challenges facing the acquisition of good quality education.

Education is the key to many of the challenges that we face today. Democracy as promising as it looks, still has a long way to go in many countries because of the high illiteracy rates. Education uplifts a person out of the cancer of ignorance. However, it takes courage to obtain a proper education no matter where you find yourself, whether in a poverty stricken country or in the most developed country in the world. It is therefore important for us to have a proper grasp of what courage really is while drawing important lessons from the life of Nelson Mandela.

Courage is not bullying other kids in school. Courage is not settling down on easy tasks when you should be tackling a bigger challenge. Courage is our ability as human beings to overcome our fears and doubts. Mandela himself until his unfortunate passing in December, 2013 served as a living testimony of courage. How many of us today can withstand the discrimination that Mandela had to face growing up in a racially segregated South Africa? How many of us today can afford to still pick things up after languishing in prison for 27 solid years? Mandela did not just overcome these two enormous challenges but many more in his lifetime.

Fear is a thematic component of our lives and physiologically helps us to survive. And since all of us are created with a quantum of fear in us, it is instructive to realize that the ability to overcome this intrinsic fear is what really makes us courageous. None of us have been able to evade the natural phenomenon of fear no matter who we are. No matter how well prepared I am for an exam, my heart would usually miss a beat anytime an exam paper is about to start. This however does not make me weaker than any other student; neither does it have any bearing on the grade I will obtain at the end of the day. It is our ability to handle fear that truly makes us courageous. Courage like fear resides in all of us and we must never lose sight of this glowing fact.

Growing up in Ghana where educational facilities are lacking, where some parents prefer to send their children to tend farms rather than send them to school, it takes courage to brave the storm to attain an education. This is one of the reasons why we readily identified with Nelson Mandela back in basic school. He started out as a cattle-boy in his small village like many of us and ended up being a global icon. In today’s age and time, there are still many families who do not understand the importance of education and see it as a waste of time. It takes courage to skillfully persuade one’s illiterate parents to fully understand that education is not for lazy people but in fact for everyone including them. For many children in such families, that you would ever go to school lies in your ability to confront this primary hurdle in your family.

To add to the above, many students drop out of school not because they are not good enough to seek higher education, but because they do not have money to pay fees. When they finally do get the money to further their education, they are afraid considering that very few people pass the final examinations every year. It is not only the academic fear they would have to bear with, but they will also have to endure the bullies in the class and in the dormitories. Notwithstanding the challenges, the courageous ones endure and still make it. Real courageous people like Mandela are not washed away by the magnitude of problems they encounter but strive to find the silver lining in every dark cloud.

Another practical application of courage in education is that it teaches us never to give up. As I described earlier, the sheer problems inherent in obtaining quality education in many African countries has led many to call it quits. But some have purposed in their hearts to withstand the fear, confront the challenges squarely and triumph over them. Such people refuse to be discouraged by the bleak future hanging menacingly on their heads but rather have resolved to utilize the opportunities available to them today.

Another lesson we can draw from Nelson Mandela’s axiom is to pick ourselves up when we strip and fall in our quest to obtain an education. Some people unfortunately are consumed by one or two challenges and finally fail in a particular aspect of the struggle. Such are the times we have to demonstrate courage and rise up again, shake off the dirt and blaze new and even better trails. Fear and challenges are not in themselves bad, they rather give us an opportunity to be better, an opportunity to be courageous. Several students have committed suicides because they have failed their exams. Some have decided to even call it quits because their grades are not improving. Failure is an ordinary and sometimes even necessary component of the human life. What we must do especially with respect to education is not to look so hard at our bad grades that we miss the golden opportunities available to turn the tables around. We must always appreciate the bigger picture and not be discouraged by a few mishaps. Just because one may fail in one or two subjects does not make you a failure as a human being. Academic work can be sometimes be frustrating but the truth is that at the end of the day we will get to learn something we did not know before.

Nelson Mandela once said that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. Today throughout the world, there is a general cry for change. There is a general consensus that the world is not in the best of shapes and something urgently needs to be done. For so long we have looked for this “something” in politics but it has not worked. Why don’t we take a break and appreciate that one of the best ways of really changing this world is to look up to education. However, let me be quick to add that the challenges in ensuring that everyone receives good quality education are many and the struggle will be a difficult one. Notwithstanding this, Nelson Mandela offers us another solution to overcoming the challenges that we will most surely meet in his axiom that “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear”.

26 comments on “Redefining courage; Lessons for education

  1. Dong-bene Dalo Puobaar on

    This is a winning write up shared by someone who in himself is an epitome of courage. I am more than certain that this life touching piece would serve a greater purpose of giving hope and meaning to the lives of many naive and destitute children whose hopes and aspirations have been dashed by their conditions. Thumbs up Baleng!!!!!!!

    Reply
  2. Birgit on

    That’s a very insightful piece. Its theme is one we can all relate to. If you would ask me, I would say that you’re one of the most courageous and daring people I’ve ever known. Keep it up!

    Reply
  3. Qudirat Ishak on

    Wonderful piece…….there is no doubt dat u have already won the essay competition in advance. I’m so proud of you

    Reply
  4. Limann Gbana on

    Awesome bro, am so proud of ur article, I’ve heard abt u bt really never met u. Keep it up, u would go place……….big ups bro!!!!!

    Reply
  5. Gaba W. Eric on

    This is a well structured article comprising not only the opinions of great men like Nelson Mandela But also the experiences of the writer. Experience they say is the best teacher. This wouldn’t have been expressed in any better way except for the one who experienced the difficulties surrounding education and have surmounted those difficulties up to this stage.

    Reply
  6. Francisca Nyarko Sarfo on

    Yessss.dis is e kind of people we need in today’s world.the atmosphere is filled w fear.fear to speak truth,fear to stand for whats right.,fear to take a risk n even fear of sucess.yes, well done.from ur message i knw u r a man of courage.welllll done.it great.in fact true talk

    Reply
  7. Daniel Baalapuo on

    this is an awe inspiring piece by a person who I would say is not also far from the perfect example of courage. it felt like this writings was directly talking to me.I’m also battling with something,but I must say throughout the reading of this piece, what was going and it is still going through my mind is “why don’t I give it try”. thanks for that.

    Reply
  8. vitus kpegluu on

    Splendid! This is lenty but inspiring and interesting if you asked me. This will inspire many with the can do spirit. Bravo! ! ! !…. keep it up

    Reply
  9. Adams Gervase on

    Greate write up and break down of courage from a fathomless state to a digestible state. What else do we need to say, of course courage comes with such determination that Mandela exhibited ,values like honesty and ethics contribute enormously to courage in education.

    Reply
  10. luri tia john bosco on

    I will always stand by your words. am highly impressed with your article and wish you well in this contest. well done bro

    Reply
  11. kossi akplah on

    ”As I described earlier, the sheer problems inherent in obtaining quality education in many African countries has led many to call it quits.”

    You hit the nail right on the head!

    This revolutionary piece needs to be spread far and wide, and read and taught to Africans, and people all over the world.
    That word: Courage.

    Bravo, my brother! Africa still has a future.

    Reply
  12. Lengsodong Philip on

    Congrats, what an inspiring, scintillating, fantastics, educative and a beautiful article. In fact, this is not a surprise to me since we went through the same SHS. Many who went through this your article will testify that you are just a man packed with knowledge.That is knowledge of directive and consoling to the poor educating, knowledge of creating very educative matrieals and knowledge of making someone to achieve his exact goal in life. I wish this your article could reach all and sundry.

    Reply
  13. MICHAEL OSEI AGYAPONG on

    Those of us with you here in the Medical School do understand the importance of courage in education. But none of us could have puti it better than you have done. Great work Baleng. The MSA Editorial Committee is proud of you!

    Reply
  14. Alban on

    A wonderful peice. Courage and determination move mountains. This is an award winning eLwrite up. May the Lord see you through.

    Reply
  15. Wutor Mahama Baleng on

    I am most grateful for all the love, you have shown me, I pray the words of Nelson Mandela will continue to permeate our lives and our stories.

    Reply
  16. Wutor Mahama Baleng on

    A lot of people fail in living their dreams because they do not conquer their fears, for – as Wutor rightly said – courage is the conquer of fear. And this is an astonishing piece of writing that will push many persons to conquer their fear and pursue their dreams. Well done Wutor

    Reply
  17. CHEYE HUDI MAXWELL on

    An essay worth the ultimate prize. Bro, keep elevating that identity. Next time will be yours. The essay has already helped a lot in diverse fields. You are good!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  18. Alexander Tingbani on

    Well done bro. may the God Lord help us all to live with such courage not only in our educational lives but more of this courage to preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN!!

    Reply

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