Africa has been sold a dangerous lie: pass rates, degrees, and certificates equal intelligence and success.
In this powerful conversation, Mr Tinofara Mutovongi from IXAR Academy sits down with Jerry More Nyazungu to challenge everything we think we know about education, intelligence, and relevance in the age of AI.
Tinofara opens up about his personal journey from struggling with low self-esteem at school, to dropping out of university after just three weeks, and eventually building practical skills that led him into mobile technology and founding IXAR Academy. His story raises uncomfortable but necessary questions about whether Africa’s education system is truly preparing young people for the real world.
We unpack why polytechnic students often outperform university graduates in practical skills, why many degree and master’s holders struggle in the job market, and how cramming and reciting for exams has been exposed by AI. If everything can now be found, coded, written, and analysed using AI, then what exactly are schools still rewarding?
The discussion also tackles the obsession with pass rates, the illusion of intelligence created by certificates, and why parents need to rethink what “success” actually looks like. With AI rapidly replacing roles once reserved for degree holders, this episode asks the hard question: Are we educating our children for yesterday’s world or tomorrow’s reality?
If you’re a parent, student, educator, entrepreneur, or anyone worried about the future of work in Africa, this conversation will challenge your thinking and possibly make you uncomfortable in the best way.
Watch. Reflect. Rethink education.
Podcast: The Chartered Vendor (TCV)
Guest: Mr Tinofara Mutovongi (IXAR Academy)
Host: Jerry More Nyazungu
Topics Covered: Why degrees no longer guarantee success Polytechnic vs university education The real meaning of intelligence AI’s impact on education and jobs Why pass rates are failing Africa Practical skills vs certificates Coding and working with AI Why exposure matters more than subjects
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