Last year, a young lady doctor joined a social club and met a young man of her dreams. Everything about him matched her expectations; he was a committed Christian, a successful businessman and had good manners and sense of humour.
She, however, detected some deficiency in his spoken English and sometimes what he said in public embarrassed her. She did a background check and got to know he did not go beyond Junior High School (JHS). She is confused and worried about public opinion.
Importance of education
Education is crucial to life and relationships because it gives you a better understanding of yourself and the world around you. It has the potential to increase the quality of your life.
The higher your academic qualification, the higher your social status and the potential for success in life.
Lovers with similar educational background tend to have similar circle of friends, values and social activities.
Doing similar activities is important to the health of marriage. This means your marriage is likely to work out better if you have similar educational levels.
On the other hand, partners with different educational backgrounds tend to have different values and interests. They pursue different things in life and this has the potential to pull them apart because they may go out with different groups of friends.
The situation is worse if the man has a higher academic qualification. This is because men are born competitive. They define themselves by what they achieve and feel threatened by women who have higher academic qualification.
Some actually abuse their women to give them the feeling that they are in control and boost their self-esteem.
Can a JHS man marry a doctor?
Back to the question; can a JHS man marry a doctor? The answer is simple, why not? He is a man and she is a woman. He can marry her. However, the man must endeavour to upgrade his spoken English.
Today there are so many interventions to help Ghanaians achieve higher academic qualifications.
Some 10 years ago, a British met a woman who was a stack illiterate farmer. He arranged for her to learn English language and when she could speak few ‘broken’ sentences, he married her. They have made several trips abroad.
Today this lady speaks better English and cooks better than some of our modern day graduate women. This means you can always support your lover to go higher.
A difference in education is not crucial to the health of your marriage provided you do not develop a complex which may hinder your roles.
A man, as the head of a home, irrespective of his academic qualification, must stamp his authority, love and honour his wife.
A woman must submit and be a helpmate and must never attempt to take over a marriage because she is ‘book long’.
What you must know
A high academic qualification is not synonymous with maturity and acceptable behaviour. This means a JHS graduate who is loving and caring may be a better husband than a professor who is a womaniser and a drunkard.
Cases coming in show that love has nothing to do with academic qualifications. Imagine the case of a highly educated man who has taken a girlfriend and bought a car for her while his own wedded wife goes to work in ‘trotro’.
Academic qualification does not necessarily make a good marriage. What matters is knowing God’s plans, purpose and roles in marriage and doing them.
Your marriage can be fulfilling with similar of different academic background. Resolve to marry rich, not academic qualifications.
