For centuries, formal education has been given special attention. It is no wonder that the United Nations and most governments have pumped billions of dollars into the education sector. The belief, and rightly so, is that formal education is synonymous with success.

It is the only way poverty, diseases and overpopulation among others can be eradicated from society. And that is why every parent wants the best education for their children. It is also the reason many countries have introduced free or subsidised education to cater for even the poor families.

But unlike in the past where excelling academically was a sure ticket to a ‘big’ office, today things are changing, and changing very fast. Excelling academically no longer guarantees you a job because the unemployment rate worldover is soaring. Fortunately, the scarcity of formal jobs is opening up a window of innovation — based on passion and talent.

It is no secret that sport, music, modelling and art are some of the best paying careers today. And parents, teachers and the govenment all know this. That is why the government is in the process of making reforms in the school curriculum to include subjects that illuminate the students’ personal skills and talents.

According to Joyce Musabi, the head of department for curriculum development at the Rwanda Education Board, the reforms will take shape in 2016. She, however, admits that govenment can only do so much due to limited facilities and resources. 

This means the other stakeholders — parents and teachers — need to also play their role by identifying the children’s talents at a young age and offer them the necessary support. However, children should be encouraged to treasure both academics and extra-curricular activities because knowledge is power. Many superstars have excelled on both fronts and that is the message our children must hear.