Jim Iyke Says There is “Some Truth” to the Claim That ‘School Na Scam’
Veteran Nollywood actor Jim Iyke has weighed in on the long-running debate over the value of formal education, saying there is “some truth” to the popular phrase “school na scam.”
Speaking during a recent interview with media personality Joey Akan, the actor argued that academic qualifications alone do not guarantee success, citing his own career as an example.
According to Iyke, he has achieved greater professional and financial success than many of his former lecturers.
“There is some truth to ‘school na scam’. I am doing better than all my lecturers. I once met one of my lecturer, who is now late, on a plane and we both knew who was doing better. If had taken everything him taught me verbatim and applied it in my pursuit, I wouldn’t have been successful.”
He maintained that relying solely on classroom lessons would not have led him to where he is today, stressing that many of the most valuable lessons he learned came from experienced mentors, relatives and businesspeople rather than from formal education.
“I will tell you what worked. It is what the uncles, the traders who barely went to school, told me. They told me go left at all time and never right. The father who told me to forget theories and know when to be ruthless, conform or stand my grounds and what books to read.”
The actor said practical life skills, economic awareness and lessons passed down by older generations played a greater role in shaping his success than academic theories.
Iyke also argued that many of the world’s wealthiest individuals did not build their fortunes through advanced academic qualifications. While acknowledging the importance of education, he claimed that formal schooling is only part of the equation, pointing out that he employs people with doctoral degrees despite not having one himself.
“Some of the wealthiest men in the world did not get it from classroom. How many of them have PhD? I have a PhD holder who works for me. We can argue all we want but school is partly scam.”
His comments add to the ongoing public conversation in Nigeria about the role of formal education versus practical skills, entrepreneurship and real-world experience in achieving success.
