You see, the same way lawyers in Ghana develop this “superiority complex,” the same happens with students who studied Science in Senior High School.
Truthfully, it is not entirely their fault. It is a reflection of how our society has conditioned people to rank human intelligence and worth based on academic paths.
From childhood, many people are made to believe that Science students are naturally more intelligent, more serious, or more likely to succeed than students in Business, General Arts, Home Economics, Agriculture, or Visual Arts.
Once a child shows some level of brilliance in basic school, the automatic assumption is often, “This child must study Science. Become a doctor, engineer, pilot” If you think I am writing lies, visit the nearest pre school during career day.
There is zero or very little career counseling at that stage from trained professionals. In many cases, children are pushed into programmes based on societal prestige rather than their actual strengths, interests, or long-term goals.
I suffered that too and I know I am not alone.
Science was chosen for me in 2003. The expectation was that I will become a petroleum Engineer.
I entered Kumasi Anglican Secondary School as a Science student in 2004.
From my experience, science students were treated better than students from other programmes.
Those selected to represent the school at NSMQ were treated almost like celebrities. They had special meals, special tuition, exemption from certain school activities, separate sleeping arrangements, unrestricted access to the computer and science labs, and sometimes even missed gatherings without consequences.
Meanwhile, students in other programmes did not receive the same level of recognition or institutional support.
Students in Visual Arts and Home Economics often suffered the most. Sadly, they were sometimes used as examples in jokes, subtly looked down upon, and not always taken seriously academically.
Many may think these things are harmless, but subconsciously, they affect students deeply.
Over time, some students begin to internalize the idea that they are “less intelligent” simply because of the programme they were placed in.
That is why the comment from the neurosurgeon on Richlove Oduro and similar sentiments didn’t emerge from nowhere. They are products of a system that has conditioned people for years to associate prestige, intelligence, and human value with particular academic paths.
Meanwhile, real life humbles everybody eventually. There I am today not as an engineer but as an accountant and career coach.
Life is far bigger than SHS programmes.
In reality, character, discipline, adaptability, emotional intelligence, communication skills, competence, and consistency matter far more in the long term than the programme you studied at age 15 or 16.
No educational path gives anyone automatic superiority over others.
