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Posted by: Benjamin Onuorah
Two months ago, I graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a "useless" degree. I graduated with a master's degree in English, with specialisation in Creative Writing (Fiction).
This degree may be considered useless in Ghana because it won't get me a job.
Three years ago, when I wanted to take a Creative Writing course at Harvard University, I read the Senior Lecturer's bio, and his academic qualification was only a bachelor's degree. Yes, a first-degree holder is a senior lecturer at Harvard.
In Ghana, you cannot teach with a first degree or a master's degree. So my master's degree cannot secure me a job at the university, where creative writing is taught as a course.
Before I went back to school, some well-meaning academic and professional mentors advised that I consider pursuing a PhD in journalism or communication studies. With my wealth of practical experience, they said, I would be a hot cake in that field.
I said no to all of them because I didn't have the passion for that. My truest passion is in writing, not even journalism.
Years ago, I had turned down an offer from a friend and businessman who had convinced me to read law, for he said I would make a good lawyer. He offered to fund my legal education.
Nope. I admire lawyers, but I do not have the passion for law.
Writing does not pay, they told me. But I was adamant. And that's what I went in for.
Am I looking forward to being employed with my creative writing degree?
No!
Is my degree useless because, as the immediate past education minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, puts it, it does not prepare me for the job market?
That's ignorance impersonating expertise.
With this degree, and more importantly, the knowledge I ...
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