Western education is better than African education.

Debate in favour of or against.

Educational system consists of guidelines or rules that aim at improving the quality of education
and the performance of teachers at schools, colleges, and universities. Thinking of how education
started as a household means of preparing individuals to participate fully and effectively in their
world. Education prepares youths and children to be active and productive members of their
societies by inculcating the skills necessary to achieve these goals. The educational system is
what makes education relevant, in comparing Western education system to that of Africa
education system, it is very important to ask the questions of how these systems are set around
classroom activities, the teaching process, the learning process, and capability of students,
Encouragement for Students, Teachers and Students relationship. When each of these questions
are been answered then one can clearly point out which system is better.

It is generally believed that pursing a university degree in Africa is fraught with many
challenges .This; consequently give credence to the assertion that pursing education in the West
is far better than in Africa.

Students in Africa are faced with a number of challenges that makes the course more difficult
than in the West.

I therefore strongly support the proposition that Western education is better than African
education.

Limited access to research materials and laboratories: Some courses are tailored to be more
of a research endeavor - a core component of the whole program, but many students do not
easily get access to such resources. In the case where such are available; they are often ill
equipped. In fact, such are in many cases limited or unavailable. For instance, an IT Master’s
student cannot get access to IT laboratories or computers in a course that is fundamentally
practical oriented. A medical student could not access advanced or equipped medical
laboratories to make research easy. Unlike in the West, where such facilities are easily
available. Weak internet connectivity infrastructure and irregular electricity add more to the
already challenging situation, as all this clearly undermine the quality of research and the
ease with which it should be done. On the contrary, in the West, there is a strong internet
infrastructure or resources to facilitate research of any nature that requires fast, reliable and
strong internet service or connectivity.

Second reason could be what many may consider as lack of professionalism or strong work
ethics on the part of the lecturers. Most times, lecturers in this part of the world behave as if
they may be doing students a favour. Their approach to teaching and teaching ethics is
believed to be unsatisfactorily poor. They do not respect lecture schedule, they shirk classes
with impunity and defer classes without adequate notice. Such could be considered not
only as disrespectful, but could be equally frustrating most of the time; thus, affect students’
mental shape. Conversely, in the West, where lecturers feel a sense of duty with passion and
commitment driven by strong teaching ethics to deliver quality lectures and make learning
enjoyable.

The third reason, insufficient time due to work and other family responsibilities. Many a
lecturer and student most often lack the luxury of time due to other busy schedule such as
work or family responsibilities. In Africa, students are mostly working to be able to finance their
studies and bring home the bacon, so they have to juggle delicately between the two -studies
and job. And all this has its toll on the students; however, in the West, students do not have to
struggle to pay fees and meet other family responsibilities. They do their course sat a relatively
younger age and without family commitment, unlike in Africa.

Financial challenge is another factor that makes the studying in Africa more
challenging than in the advanced countries. The tuition fees levied on African students is
believed to be more than what their counterparts pay in the west. This makes it more difficult to
pursue and attain a diploma, Bachelors’ or Masters.

Most often, we see students who are unemployed or in low-income earning job grappling with
the payment of fees due to tough economic situation. In some circumstances, their economic
situation is so serious that they may end up deferring their program or even dropping out of the
program completely. While for students in developed countries, there are scholarship
opportunities and hardly face financial strain to pursue their studies.
 The Limited numbers of universities in some poorer African countries like Sierra Leone
appear to be the first difficulty prospective undergraduate’s candidate’s face. Getting
admission to pursue a degree, or diploma is competitive nowadays because of the ever-
increasing demand and appetites amongst the undergraduate student population pursue high
learning. The number of applicants could far exceed the available spaces. In some cases,
certain courses are not even available except out of the continent. Whereas in countries with
strong educational infrastructures there are many universities of one’s choice and a chosen
program.

Conducive learning climate: Students in the Western world purse their studies in an ideal
learning climate- they have enough sitting accommodation; they don’t have to run around for
empty classes nor do they have to stand up for lectures. In the case of most poor African
countries students suffer massive discomfort due to lack of classrooms. This constraint is largely
because of the overpopulation in learning institutions where the demand far outweighs the
existing facilities.

There is clear government obligation to its citizens' education by extension the development
of the nation in the Western world. In the Western world, there are very good policies towards
providing quality education for its population than in Africa; thus, making Western education far
better than in Africa. Education is seen as a vehicle that drives, propels and enhances growth and
sustainable development for the betterment of society, so it is no surprise you see such huge
interest in providing universal quality education for all regardless of social status.

Students find education less challenging as opposed to African students. In the West, students
do not only have access to the required learning materials but easy access to facilitate the
learning process, which builds their confidence and skills to excel and have a sense of fulfillment
in their chosen career. Whereas in Africa accessibility to the required learning materials is
another big challenge to contend with, this in turn affects the learners’ confidence and overall
output.

The lack of recognition and transparency in the education system. In the West, hardworking
students who excel exceptionally well in their studies are recognized, awarded and encouraged
for their academic endeavor by being giving scholarships and other opportunities to help them
get the best out of their potential. Grades are giving to the deserving students. Unlike in Africa
where hard working and deserving students are not being encouraged to get the best out of their
talents there by leading to brain drain.

Moreover, another reason why pursuing education in the developed world is better than in Africa
is the fact that Western education or certificates gives you more job and better opportunities on
the global job market than Africa's.

Capacity building opportunity for teachers and learners. In the West, unlike in Africa,
teachers are regularly given the opportunities to build their current teaching capacities and skills
to match the global trend in shaping their students to fit not only in the current job market but
future. Students are also given the chances to embrace innovation to keep them qualified and
better position to serve humanity in the fast changing world. For example, in the ICT world,
teachers and learners have to capacitate themselves in order to catch up with the fast – moving
ICT system but sadly, in Africa such strong ICT infrastructure is lacking unlike in the rich world.
Even where such facilities do exist, then it becomes another challenge to get access to them.

In the Western world, students get exposed to ICT and technology from Primary School. The
system is designed in such a way to deliberately start preparing them for the world ahead of
them. As they make progress in their education, they do not only develop the requisite
knowledge but an advanced one to help them easily navigates the world of Information
Communication and Technology. Whereas for their counterparts on the African continent’s, this
remains just a dream.

To this end, from the aforesaid presentation one would clearly realize that pursuing education in
African countries, particularly in poorer nations with frail educational infrastructures pose
challenges to our ambition; hence, makes it difficult to pursue education; hence, I emphatically
reiterate my position that Western education is better than Africa.