The rich vs the poor; theory vs practical

I recently read an article in The Guardian that said half the world's wealth is owned by just one percent of the population. It's an astounding statistic that got me asking the why question again and again. I thought about the schools I attended in my country and was shocked to discover that nowhere was I taught practical enterprise that benefit me in the real world.  I remember in S.4 as we prepared for Uganda Certificate of Education examinations, my friends and I spent days and nights practicing rote memorisation; cramming long essays on  colonialism and such things that have never helped me beyond the distinctions I scored in subjects like History.

If I had powers I would therefore completely overhaul our education system and put in place a system of creative application tailored to rhyme with the interests and talents of students. I would teach things like "how to know what you are gifted in and use it to get to the top";  "how to make money and use it to change the world"; "why intergrity is the most valuable asset" and so forth. 

The books on the syllabus would include biographies of men and women who have applied themselves all their lives and attained inspirational success. The teachers and lecturers would not be those with high sounding academic papers but those mostly who have learned on the job and made it; men like Stephen Kiprotich, Patrick Bitature, Joanita Kalwaya, Boney Katatumba and big thinkers and innovators in sports, business, politics; figures who have defied the odds against them and made it in life.

I think the world is tired of the pontifications of theoretical elites. It's high time they sat down so that the men and women with practical experience can stand up and teach us because they know a real thing about wealth creation that would reduce the shocking global inequality.