IPNEWS: The Creeping Dominance of Experience Over Degrees in a Boakai-Koung Administration. A path that would hinder the active participation of young people in the current administration.
As young people who aspire to contribute to public service, we might be confronted with a disheartening reality under this current administration. The current prevailing emphasis on prioritizing experience over academic qualifications will create a formidable barrier, making it difficult for young people to secure active roles within public service institutions. I am using Martin K. N. Kollie picture not in a bad manner but in solidarity with his struggle for academic excellence and promoting young people’s active participation in public service.
Under this current administration, we are seeing the scales being tilted heavily in favor of experience when it comes to given opportunity to serve within public service. While the value of practical knowledge cannot be understated, an exclusive focus on experience discounts the potential of well-educated and ambitious young individuals who may lack extensive professional backgrounds. This priority will create a system that is naturally biased against the entry of fresh minds with a wealth of fresh knowledge and a readiness to learn and adapt.
The stringent preference for experience may disproportionately affect recent graduates who, armed with degrees and academic achievements and who paid the prize or made the optimum sacrifices in making sure we have a Boakai-Koung Administration. This will not only undermine the acquisition made in acquiring education but also perpetuate a discouraging environment that questions the relevance of degrees in the face of experience-centric hiring administration.
A rigid adherence to prioritizing experience risks suppressing innovation within public service institutions. Young people, often equipped with the latest theories, research findings, and technological insights gained through their academic pursuits, bring a fresh perspective that is crucial for addressing contemporary challenges faced in our society. By sidelining those with educational qualifications in favor of a narrow definition of experience, the current administration might hamper the potential for progress and adaptability within public service. The bias towards experience over degrees has broader societal implications, potentially exacerbating socioeconomic disparities. Those with the means and opportunities to accumulate relevant experience may have an advantage. This will further limit the diversity of voices and perspectives within public service. This will perpetuate a cycle of inequality and will hinder the government’s ability to connect and represent the full spectrum of our country.
The prevailing preference for experience over degrees in the current administration erects formidable barriers for young individuals aspiring to enter public service. We need to acknowledge the value of a well-rounded approach that considers both experience and education. The administration must create a more inclusive, diverse, and innovative public service sector. Failing to do so will not only hamper the aspirations of the youth but also compromise the future effectiveness and adaptability of public service institutions.
We have to be mindful of the precedent we set today. Boakai promised that it would not be business as usual. The young people’s representation needs to be reflected under this administration. We will not build the experiences by sitting on the fence. We need to be actively involved and if we intend to make Liberia a better nation, the pursuit of academic excellence should be paramount in our struggles. Experience is good but building it on fake credentials is bad.
