A provocative question posed by HiPipo CEO Innocent Kawooya during his weekly financial literacy livestream has reignited debate about one of education’s biggest blind spots: while schools teach students how to get jobs, do they adequately prepare them to create wealth?
Speaking during his Wednesday evening financial literacy session on TikTok, Kawooya challenged governments, educators, parents and policymakers to rethink what success in education should look like in an economy increasingly defined by entrepreneurship, innovation and financial independence.
“We spend years paying school fees, but no one teaches us how to recover that investment,” he said.
The remarks were part of his ongoing series, “Money Lessons Schools Never Teach Us,” where he explores practical financial knowledge that many learners only encounter long after graduating.
Innocent was quick to clarify that his criticism is not directed at education itself.
He noted that HiPipo invests heavily in education through initiatives such as HiPipo University and Enlighted Academy, arguing that education remains one of society’s most important investments. His concern, however, is whether the current system fully prepares students for economic realities.
“Whether you take your child to an international school or a village school, there is one thing almost nobody talks about how that education helps you earn back what you invested in it,” he argued.
According to Innocent Kawooya, students are encouraged to pursue academic excellence, complete examinations, and graduate, but conversations about generating income, building businesses, managing financial risks, or creating wealth often receive little attention.
The discussion raises broader questions about the purpose of education in the 21st century.
For decades, many education systems have been designed around preparing students for employment. But with technological disruption, changing labour markets, and rising youth unemployment across Africa, experts increasingly argue that entrepreneurship and financial capability deserve greater emphasis.
Innocent questioned whether schools place too much emphasis on preparing students to seek employment while paying less attention to equipping them to become employers, innovators, or investors.
He asked whether wealth creation receives limited attention because many educators themselves have had little exposure to entrepreneurship or practical financial education.
Rather than criticizing teachers, he suggested they too could benefit from greater access to financial literacy and wealth creation skills.
“It shouldn’t be that the people who educate society remain among the poorest, especially in Africa,” he said.
During the livestream, Innocent distinguished between saving money and making money, arguing that financial education often begins at the wrong point.
He observed that people are regularly advised to save, invest, and plan for retirement. While these are valuable principles, he questioned how meaningful they can be without first understanding how to generate sustainable income.
“What are you going to invest if you don’t first know how to make money?” he asked.
He believes that income generation, entrepreneurship, innovation, and value creation should become foundational lessons taught alongside budgeting, saving, and investing.
Innocent also floated a more controversial idea: whether governments should consider financing education differently.
He suggested that if education is intended to build national prosperity, countries could explore models where students study first and repay the cost after entering the workforce and earning an income.
While he did not present the idea as a policy proposal, he said it reflects the need to align education more closely with economic outcomes.
The comments have sparked discussion beyond classrooms. Some agree that schools should do more to teach entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and practical wealth-building skills. Others argue that education’s role extends beyond financial returns, encompassing critical thinking, citizenship, creativity, and personal development.
Still, Innocent’s central question resonates with many families facing rising education costs:
If education is one of the largest investments people make during their lifetime, should students leave school not only with qualifications, but also with a clear understanding of how to create value, generate income, and build wealth?
As governments across Africa pursue curriculum reforms to meet the demands of modern economies, that question may become increasingly difficult to ignore.
