Publish at March 26 2025 Updated March 26 2025
Theory and practice almost always go hand in hand, insofar as one provides the opportunity to acquire knowledge, and the other to experience it in a specific situation. However, there are contexts in which practice is all that matters. How can we understand this mechanism?
One of the major concerns in the education sector is to combine theory and practice. This is undoubtedly why there are internships after training courses in educational institutions and centers. In fact, learners need to be able to apply the theoretical content they have acquired throughout their apprenticeship.
While this is self-evident in some countries with a high level of development, it is not always the case in others due to infrastructural difficulties. For example, in many African countries, a notable lack of technical infrastructure is a major obstacle to training. Just imagine chemistry or biology students without test tubes and microscopes to apply their theoretical learning.
"Theory without practice is useless and practice without theory is blind."
More than a Kantian philosophical statement, this is a clear translation of the relationship that exists between theory and practice, as if to say that the two concepts go together and, more precisely, one cannot do without the other. Other cases are worth exploring.
By the same token, we understand that the classic route is to follow a theoretical apprenticeship and then put the knowledge acquired into practice. However, there are real-life situations that lead directly to the acquisition of theoretical content through practice.
Some of Africa's best-known self-made men did not go to business or industrial schools, yet went on to become renowned businessmen and industrialists. Some even dropped out of school before completing secondary education. Determined and curious, they have gradually learned the ropes. In reality, they began with small trades, then profitable investments. Over time, as success came knocking at their door, they diversified their activities. In this vein, Fotso Victor and Joseph Kadji Defosso, both of late memory, were among Africa's biggest fortunes for many years. Their careers speak volumes about their determination.
In the light of the above, the classic scheme of theory followed by practice is revisited. It is conceivable that theory can be acquired through practice. This requires other skills that are often found in self-taught people.
Arming oneself with curiosity and self-sacrifice is the key to understanding the workings of the field in which one is directly involved. Theory in practice is therefore a path to be explored in greater depth, since it also produces results.
To go further, learning can go either way. You just have to find the path that best suits your personality and context. In other words, some learners feel better and learn faster when they are directly immersed in practice, while others prefer to start with theoretical learning. Ultimately, it's up to education systems to adapt.
Sources
Theory without practice is useless and practice without theory is blind
https://miscellanees.me/2021/06/14/kant-la-theorie-sans-la-pratique-est-inutile-et-la-pratique-sans-la-theorie-est-aveugle/
Why do practitioners say that "theory is not useful for practice"? A proposal for adapting practice to the demands of the 21ᵉ century
https://journals.openedition.org/osp/12998
Institutional deficiencies and rationing of access to healthcare in developing countries: benchmarks and issues
https://shs.cairn.info/revue-mondes-en-developpement-2005-3-page-11?lang=fr
Donald Trump's victory: an atypical journey
https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/usa/presidentielle/donald-trump/victoire-de-donald-trump-un-parcours-atypique_1912831.html
Joseph Kadji Defosso, Biography
https:// www.camerounweb.com/person/Joseph-Kadji-Defosso-1719
His career - Fotso Victor
http://fotsovictor.com/parcours
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