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assimpleaspossi • yesterday at 2:59 PM • 7 replies • view on HN

She said that when she earns her PhD she wants to bring it back to the region but what would a degree in Language Studies bring to a region with so little?


Replies

lukehandcool • yesterday at 3:02 PM

That's a fair question. I made a decision early on that I wasn't going to push any student in any particular direction. They were free to pursue any education they wanted. Anwarite chose this route and I'm happy to support it.

However, just the fact that she is so educated, regardless of the degree, I think can make a huge impact on her village. Most adults I met there had around a second or third grade education at most. Many never went to school at all. The fact that she can speak English, use a vomputer, and teach could be transformative.

aftbit • yesterday at 3:08 PM

Maybe she can become a teacher in the region and continue the process of helping others to expand their horizons beyond the region?

agolsme • yesterday at 3:06 PM

culture, rights for women, appreciation of learning...those are all downstream of PHDs in the humanities

weli • yesterday at 4:06 PM

I wholeheartedly agree. While I admire OP in his charitable endeavors. I can't help but think that this puts the incentives on studying things that offer little to no market value. Market value of a degree tends to be a huge predictor of how needed that skill is in the market. I don't know if what Tanzania needs right now is language PhD's instead of Architects, Engineers, Doctors, etc...

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Nux • yesterday at 3:03 PM

Intelectuality?

georgeburdell • yesterday at 4:07 PM

It will lower the birthrate

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floro • yesterday at 3:09 PM

OP is killing the village. No one will be left after the kids grow up.

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