I make it a point of duty that when I get to a developed clime to visit their social infrastructures like schools, hospitals, food pantry, shelter and the rest, which I call evidence of social investment, which yeild social protection.
I visited the Knowledge is Power Program, commonly(KIPP), Columbus, Ohio, a network of free open-enrollment college-preparatory schools in low income communities in the United States. KIPP is America’s largest network of public charter schools.
Leaving the magnificent, beautifully furnished, and exceptionally equipped facilities of KIPP, the type I am not sure I have seen anywhere in Africa for free and wondering why the public and private sectors will partner to build schools of these calibre completely free to their precious children, it occurred to me that this is not free afterall. It is a selfless investment in the future because the social investors not only see the future but the inevitable role of the prepared young people in the same. There is something these people see that African leaders and organisations do not see.
Education is never free. Someone is paying the price.
When a nation makes education free, it is only making a long term investment, which fruits the nation will reap in abundance.
So education is never free at all.
The nations who fail to offer education as a long-term investment to the human capacity development of its citizens should not be surprised that her citizens will continue to be slaves to the nations who dare to make the inconvenient investment.
So what we call free education is a selfless investment in human capacity development, which returns on investment are sure and huge on all fronts.
The greatest and most lucrative resources on earth is the human resources and it is the most wasted in Africa and yet we want to rule the world by blind faith
One of the ways by which human capacity development is attained is when the 4 institutions(family, community, state and International community) responsible for the development of the child are at work.
One of the many ways young people are erased is when one institution takes the responsibilities of 4.
If we agree that the family is the building blocks of the society, the question is, who builds the building blocks or do the blocks make and bake themselves?
Fellow Family Strengthening Parliametarians, I leave the rest to you.
Do have an INSPIRED weekend.
Taiwo AKINLAMI 
“…education is truly costly!”
I hope the African narrative towards developing sustainable policies that encourages quality education with good infrastructures, will one day be something highly esteemed by African individuals and cooperate Organizations in the continent.
Thank you sir, for this article. It’s a mind shifting information for me.
Education is key to societal development hence all institutions in State must consciously make an input I child’s education, being a long term investment and critical to societal development family and other institutions owe every child a responsibility of investment which must be seen as a right not priviledge as being view in some quarters. African leaders must help build institutions that will invest in life long education. The fruit of education and development capacity is among others low level of crime. Sane environment begets sane persons and vice versa.
This has been one of my thoughts recently. How do we play our role to stand up and be committed to this noble course of building a better educational sector. Our mentality is totally different and we are lagging in every aspect of development. l look forward to see a better society that prioritize education as an instrument for development and integrate every of her socio/cultural system in an inclusive education
Daniel, C . Oluwatoyin
Treasure Builder Foundation