Last week, I went through an experience I wouldnโt wish on anyoneโI was attacked and robbed by armed bandits. Thankfully, nothing happened to me physically, but I lost some material possessions.
As I reflected on the incident, I remembered something Ray Dalio said in an interview I watched years ago. He asked: What is the real cost of education?
At first, most of us think about school fees or the expenses families face when sending a child to school. But Dalio reframed the question: What is the cost of not being educated?
When a population lacks access to quality education, the social costs go up, such as crime, unemployment, prostitution, higher spending on law enforcement, and insecurity. All these drag down society. The government spends more on controlling crime than on educating its people. Families suffer. ๐ฟ๐ง๐๐๐ข๐จ ๐๐ง๐ delayed. Meanwhile, an educated population would mean more innovation, higher incomes, better health, stronger communitiesโand even increased tax revenue.
When I look aroundโat my community, at AfricaโI see the consequences of low educational access every day. Here are some numbers that break my heart and should move us to action: In sub-Saharan Africa, more than 1 in 5 children aged 6-11 are out of school (UNESCO UIS). For youth aged 15-17, nearly 60% are not attending school (UNESCO UIS). There are over 93 million children of primary and secondary school age out of school in this region, and many will never set foot in a classroom (UNESCO UIS).
Thinking about the young men who attacked me, I couldnโt help but imagine what they might have become if they had access to proper education. They were around my age. With the right opportunities, they could have been doctors, teachers, engineers, athletes, entrepreneurs, or even the next Elon Musk, Ray Dalio, Aliko Dangote, or Samuel Etoโo. Instead, society lost that potential, and they chose a path that hurts both themselves and the community.
Africa is full of untapped brillianceโyoung minds who could solve tomorrowโs greatest problems. But for this to happen, we need stronger investment in education. Governments must build infrastructure and policies that make learning accessible to all. The private sector must also step in, even if the education sector doesnโt look like the โsexiestโ investment compared to others. ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐ช๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ง๐ช๐ฉ๐ ๐๐จ, ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ช๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐ค๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ข๐๐จ ๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ง๐ค๐ฃ๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ค๐ข๐ฎ. ๐๐ค๐๐๐ฎโ๐จ ๐ก๐๐๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ง๐จ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ค๐ข๐ค๐ง๐ง๐ค๐ฌโ๐จ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐จ๐ช๐ข๐๐ง๐จ, ๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐ค๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ค๐ง๐จ, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ง๐จ.
As someone who is a lifelong learner and educator, Iโve seen firsthand the positive impact education can haveโnot only in my life but in the lives of my students. That is why I believe investing in education is not optional; it is essential.
As you go about your daily activities, I encourage you to stay safe, support education in any way you can, and continue showing love and compassion in your communities. At the end of the day, that is what truly matters.