What has the opening of a school door got to do with the closing of a prison?

By Princess Akujobi. Princess is from Lagos, Nigeria. Please read her entry and leave your comments below.

Shakuntala Devi said and I quote “education is not just about going to school and getting a degree. It is about widening your knowledge and absorbing the truth about life”.

According to Merriam- Webster, a school can be defined as an organization that provides instruction: such as an institution for the teaching of children, a college or a university.

A prison however, is an institution (such as one under state jurisdiction) for confinement of persons convicted of serious crimes.

Now this brings us to the question that says what has opening of a school door got to do with the closing of a prison?

Following the definition of a school from Merriam-Webster, it is very evident that students are not just meant to be taught about sciences or any other discipline as the case may be, but they are also taught to absorb some truths about life, not necessarily by the teachers or instructors but sometimes life just happens, because in school, you learn to learn.

There are so many ways in which the opening of a school door closes the door of a prison.

Taking a closer look at self-dependence, education helps you become financially independent and it also makes you wiser so you can make your own decisions.

Henry Ford said and I quote “if money is your hope for independence, you will never have it. The only real security that one will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience and ability”. Knowledge, experience and ability can be gotten from education and so it enables you to be self-dependent and of course closes a prison. Having seen that the prison is a place for criminals, one who has financial knowledge, knowledge on how to be self dependent, self reliant, self sufficient would do everything possible not to be in the prisons.

Furthermore, education majorly affects our understanding of the difference between right and wrong. One who is educated is well aware of the consequences of wrong/ illegal actions and he is less likely to get influenced and do something which is not legally or morally right.

Unlike the uneducated person who has inadequate resources owing to lack of opportunities often turn to illegal ways such as theft, robbery, drug trafficking etc. so as to solve their problems.

If you are educated, you are well aware of your rights, the law and your responsibilities towards the society. Hence, education is an important factor which contributes in social harmony and peace.

We live in a country where we enjoy a number of rights and freedom. It is easier to take advantage of innocent and illiterate people. They may be trapped into signing false documents or be deprived of some rights because they are uneducated and of course prison doors would be widely open for all those involved in signing false documents.

“Think not of what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country” is a popular quote by John. F.Kennedy.

In as much as we embrace the value of education, it is widely known that not everybody will be educated, but then one can do something lucrative so as to avoid staying behind bars as a result of not being educated literally. Fashion schools, catering schools, art institutions and the likes are not left out in empowerment. Education has always been and is the process of imparting knowledge, skill and judgement. That is to say, one who attends a school is not just supposed to be taught about his area of discipline but he should be taught a skill and of course the power to decide rightly, justly and wisely. Thus crime rate is being reduced and of course the prison doors would be shut.

Experience they say, is the best teacher. Throughout one’s college education, one will be in contact with a wide group of peers much larger than one faced in school. It is from these people that one is able to learn new points of view, learn to appreciate diversity and grow as a person. It also gives one a better and more developed understanding of the world.

It helps you to build and reinforce your reputation and social image, which have a strong base in your educational qualifications. A good education however allows you to positively contribute and become an active member in a society.

The greatest gift of life however is friendship. Throughout one’s education, there would be several opportunities to make friends along the way. In classes and lectures, there would be ample chance to meet new people, and circumstances often make one to work in pairs or a group so as to get a task done. It is in schools and colleges that one form friendships that last a lifetime, as you are brought together with people that have common interests and not people who would make the prison door pave way for you.

Conclusively, what you learn and the people you meet as you are studying gives you a much broader picture of the world. One will get to understand diversity, other cultures, religions and places and get a real sense of what the world is all about. This perspective is one of the key benefits of education, as it opens one’s eyes to the opportunity that is all around him, thus closing a prison door!

51 comments on “What has the opening of a school door got to do with the closing of a prison?

  1. ChiJoke Edmond on

    That’s a resourceful piece. Education broadens one’s horizon while prison confines one physically and mentally to a place.

    Reply
  2. Dubois on

    Of course a community that keeps the schools running will produce relative individuals who understands their roles in constructive personal and community development, thus reducing crime rate resulting from poor knowledge of social responsibility

    Reply
  3. Nonso Nwagbo on

    There is no better truth than this. In spite of the fact that unemployment looms like a ghost in our society today, it does not, however, downplay the relevance of education in this dispensation.

    The primary function of education is not to provide jobs as people have wrongly believed, rather it exists to re-calibrate our minds and thought patterns. Sadly, most of the people behind bars are those whose intrinsic makeup has not been redefined by the charm of education.

    Thank you very much, Princess, for bringing this to our consciousness. This article was worth my time.

    Reply
  4. Reginald Ahumibe on

    This topic is timely as our society in its is at war with the evolving media consumption and the the young people now residing on the internet and other media instruments as a panacea to learning….unfortunately the wrong ways.
    Princess have succeeded in the first instance, to hitting the nail at the head on how the importance of education need not to be over emphasize, and finally making advocacy for a better and successful society by way of encouraging literacy which obviously will reduce crimes if not totally shutting down the prison doors.

    This topic is indeed timely n princess write up is the gospel

    Reply
    • Reginald Ahumibe on

      This topic is timely as our society in itself is at war with the evolving media hype consumption and the young people now residing on the internet and such media instruments as a panacea to learning….unfortunately the wrong ways.
      Princess have succeeded in the first instance, to hitting the nail at the head on how the importance of education need not to be over emphasized, and finally making advocacy for a better and successful society by way of encouraging literacy which obviously will reduce crimes if not totally shutting down the prison doors.

      This topic is indeed timely and princess write up is the gospel

      Reply
  5. Opara Ugochi on

    This is a great piece.
    I strongly believe that Opening a school door has a lot to do with closing of prison doors. A school is a place dedicated to teaching and learning while learning can be defined as a positive change in behavior. If one therefore goes to school and acquire a positive change in behavior, in thinking and in perspective , it will be almost impossible for the individual to fall victim of any law that will take him to prison. Just like princess rightly analyzed , the place of education (formal , informal, skill acquisition ) can not be over emphasized in combating social vices in our society.

    Reply
    • Joshua on

      It’s amazing how a bigger investment in education can dramatically reduce the number of those incarcerated in prisons all over our nation. Nigeria spends a paltry 6% of its annual budget on education! Every government leader should read this.

      Reply
  6. Ahams Evans on

    The goal of true education is not to raise academic scholars but to produce men of noble character…….this piece states that fact so well. Thank you princess!

    Reply
  7. Precious Ekwueme on

    A powerful piece I must say. Education a key to success and also a key to closing of prison doors. More grace to your pen

    Reply
  8. Chidimma Cynthia Obidiegwu on

    Baby girl, this is great and I’m so proud of you. I actually love the fact that you impliedly referred to acquiring a skill as a form of education. It is trite that when education is mentioned we only think of formal education which is the school. Hence, some individuals are myopic to the fact that education is school and a skill learnt.

    They say knowledge is power but I’ll say that applied knowledge is power. So, irrespective of where you get educated, you have to create a space to apply and stop over dependence on the government. This is not to pat the back of the government that she is not serving the purpose of creating jobs but to keep minds active since the idle mind is the devil’s workshop.

    Good one!!!

    Reply
  9. Cachod_D_Prof. on

    Nice write up Amara. Education broadens our heart and thought pattern. It opens our heart to new possibilities, the relevance of education can not be overemphasized. An idle mind….. They say…. Is the devil’s workshop. Education helps in keeping the mind busy….. Thus….. Not creating any room for the devil…. To practice his enterprise….. Ideals and innovations that changed the world…..came into play as a result of constructive and positive thoughts…… Education indeed helps one to learn to learn.

    Reply
  10. Leke Ogundele on

    Undoubtedly true. Reassuringly, Princess through her perfectly woven words, has meticulously established that the role of Education in Curbing Social vices and addressing core Societal Issues, cannot just be underemphasized. Indeed a brilliant piece.

    Reply
  11. Jewel on

    If I don’t leave a comment after downloading this timely and meticulously woven pen craft
    Who will
    Education indeed shuts the prison doors
    Princess, I have no doubt that you will go places.

    Reply
  12. Jewel on

    If I don’t leave a comment after downloading this timely and meticulously woven pen craft
    Who will?
    Education indeed shuts the prison doors
    Princess, I have no doubt that you will go places.

    Reply
  13. Edeh Felix on

    Princess you are amazing. I just love the way the whole piece came together, the way you brought the concept to live, is brilliant. Yet the best food for the soul is not in ambiguous words but in aimplicity. keep it up and don’t forget, there is no chance, no destiny, no fate that can hinder the firm resolve of a determined soul.

    Reply
  14. Chigozie Njoku on

    Education! The importance of this word cannot be over emphasized. Everyone needs to be educated. As a matter of fact, it should be a subject that begins it’s journey from the home. If every home can go back to the days of moral education and it’s usefulness, a lot of prison doors will be shut. People now go to school just to ‘fulfil all righteousness’ and not to be educated. The school system itself is constantly losing it’s grip on the reason it was created. However, in spite of all these, we do know that anybody who is open towards being educated is one step away from the prison. Thank you Princess, this is great.

    Reply
  15. Okorie Odinaka on

    Nice write-up.
    If only people will understand that education is beyond learning things within the four walls of a school,our world would be a better place.

    Reply

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