Restoring Honour and Integrity: A Call to Respect Tertiary Qualifications and Public Servants in Today’s Changing Work Culture!

David from Remuera

To begin with, in today’s employment landscape, a growing number of individuals who have worked tirelessly to obtain academic qualifications are beginning to question the true value of their efforts. Thus, this concern is not born out of entitlement but from a deep sense of disillusionment, as many find themselves overlooked in favour of those without formal qualifications but with extensive on-the-job experience. Indeed, this unsettling reality calls for serious reflection on current employment practices and raises a vital question: “What, then, is the point of striving so hard for a qualification when experience seems to outweigh education?”

First and foremost, the notion that a qualification guarantees employment has become a distant myth. Notably, employers increasingly prefer those trained within the workplace, citing adaptability and immediate productivity. Yet, this preference leaves behind those who have invested years in higher education, often at significant financial and emotional cost. Besides, such a shift discourages future generations from pursuing tertiary education, as formal learning is valued less than informal experience.

In essence, this mindset diminishes the inherent value of education and undermines the belief that knowledge and practice can coexist. Moreso, the issue is not which is superior, education or experience, but whether society has lost its balance in honouring both. Thereafter, qualifications should never be dismissed as mere credentials but recognised as testaments of perseverance, discipline, and critical thought.

Correspondingly, the human cost of this imbalance is severe. Herein, many graduates find themselves unemployed or underemployed, their confidence eroded by repeated rejections and systemic bias against practical workers. The root issue is not one of ability but of recognition, the inability of current employment systems to appreciate academic accomplishment as an asset. As a result, society risks valuing expedience over excellence.

Therein lies the emotional toll on those who have studied diligently. Behind every qualification lies sacrifice, long nights, and the desire to contribute meaningfully to society. Whereas such effort is disregarded, it sends a message that formal education no longer matters. This, in turn, undermines both individual motivation and the moral fabric of a nation that once prized wisdom, equity, and innovation.

Reflectively, the divide between qualification and experience ought to be seen as complementary, not competitive. On the other hand, tertiary institutions and industries must cultivate pathways that connect theory and practice, whilst apprenticeships, graduate programmes, and internships should function as genuine bridges between learning and doing rather than as symbolic gestures.

Consequently, policymakers and employers must reform recruitment strategies. It is vitally crucial for us to value education, not the rejection of experience; it is an acknowledgement that scholarship fosters ethical awareness, innovation, and depth of understanding. Henceforth, workplaces that blend graduates with seasoned practitioners achieve lasting creativity and resilience.

Undoubtedly, when academic achievement is dismissed, the repercussions are far-reaching. It implies that effort and perseverance lose meaning, and students are disheartened from pursuing excellence. Notwithstanding, the widening divide between those who can afford unpaid experience and those who cannot fosters inequity and restricts social mobility.

Consecutively, this issue becomes particularly evident after secondary education. Subsequently, many young people enter tertiary study believing it will secure meaningful work, only to face disappointment upon graduation. Meanwhile, others who bypass formal education and train on the job progress swiftly. Even so, those with practical skills should be encouraged to pursue tertiary recognition, for experience alone must be complemented by academic grounding. At such moments, I often find myself deeply contemplating the point of having such qualifications when employers undervalue individuals who have laboured faithfully. Alongside this ongoing neglect breeds emotional fatigue and spiritual questioning, not of one’s calling, but of a society that fails to honour discipline and integrity. Truly, it feels unjust when knowledge and perseverance go unnoticed while others rise with ease through circumstance.

Equally important, my ICT qualification required an 80% pass mark in each paper, demanding precision, discipline, and perseverance. Most importantly, it is distressing to see those without such credentials gaining entry-level employment while those academically equipped for practice remain sidelined. Thereupon, stigma suggesting that qualifications are redundant is deeply misguided, and the growing culture of paper-chasing, where learning is dismissed rather than valued, erodes workplace morale, thereby clearly diminishing the noble intent of education to empower rather than demean. It is also crucial to stop pressuring individuals to pursue higher qualifications when they are not ready, as this disregards well-being and purpose. Hereafter, are we undermining those who have worked hard for their tertiary qualifications and apprenticeships, both certified and deserving, in favour of those lacking either distinction?

Not least, recent developments expose the fragility of professional recognition. The liquidation of ITPNZ, an organisation that for decades certified IT specialists and assessed overseas credentials, illustrates that even respected institutions can falter. Following unrecoverable debts and the loss of its accreditation licence, ITPNZ entered liquidation, leaving many professionals and students in limbo. Both the NZ Herald report and the ITPNZ official closure notice4 confirm that this outcome stemmed from ongoing financial challenges. Evidently, a recent article published on ITPNZ’s full paid membership page has confirmed the details of its closure and liquidation. It is therefore imperative to restore the honour and credibility once attached to tertiary qualifications, ensuring that those who earned them through rigour and sacrifice receive the recognition they deserve.

By comparison, in earlier decades, the pursuit of a tertiary qualification was revered as a mark of intellect and perseverance. Nations such as Singapore exemplified this ideal, where entry into the former University of Singapore, now the National University of Singapore (NUS), was reserved for individuals of exceptional diligence and ability. Remarkably, NUS continues to rank among the top twenty-five universities worldwide, reflecting its enduring prestige and influence. Singapore’s Ministry of Education continues to produce exemplary government scholars, with educators trained across multiple disciplines, often required to complete double majors and minors. Such achievement symbolised not only knowledge but moral integrity and scholarly discipline. Graduates from these tertiary institutions were held in the highest esteem, their qualifications representing the collective advancement of their nation. In the olden era, education, rightly esteemed, cultivates reverence and moral strength; virtues our modern world must urgently reclaim.

What’s more, have we also forgotten our public servants who labour faithfully for the nation’s well-being? In that light, many have studied hard to earn the credentials that enable them to serve with competence and humility. On the contrary, increasing disrespect and public slander have driven many to resign, eroding morale and damaging mental health. Hereby, society must rediscover compassion and gratitude toward those who sustain essential services. In doing so, churches and communities must also recognise the emotional strain borne by these individuals, some of whom have been laid off or taken settlements under New Zealand’s employment legislation. Not only that, empathy mirrors the heart of Christ and restores dignity to those who serve quietly and faithfully.

Henceforward, unequivocally stated that cheating within academia is neither acceptable nor ethical. It is vitally crucial that all tertiary institutions act decisively, prosecuting where necessary, against dishonest conduct such as providing or receiving unauthorised assistance during quizzes, including the sharing of answers or copying another student’s responses, which constitutes cheating. Primarily, academic leaders must ensure that integrity is upheld at all times and that honest students are not unfairly reprimanded for the misconduct of others. It is equally concerning when disruptive students disturb learning environments while those genuinely affected are wrongly penalised, undermining academic integrity, which is the cornerstone of trust and excellence. Without it, qualifications lose all meaning, and every learner must pursue knowledge with honesty, discipline, and respect for truth, for integrity in study reflects integrity in life.

In accordance, such realities compel us to reconsider how society values education itself. If tertiary institutions can collapse, and qualified individuals remain underappreciated. In that case, the meaning of qualification must be redefined, not as an economic tool but as a symbol of moral endurance and a lifelong pursuit of wisdom.

In light of the above, we must restore equilibrium between learning and practice so that neither is elevated at the other’s expense. A truly educated society values every contributor, both the scholar and the skilled worker, and provides room for each to thrive with dignity and purpose.

Consequently, let us move forward with renewed conviction, ensuring that education and employment work hand in hand to cultivate a fair, inclusive, and flourishing society. On that note, every qualification, like every act of labour, bears significance, for both reflect human perseverance and the pursuit of excellence in service to others.

In reflection, Proverbs 22:29 reminds us that those who are skilled in their work will stand before kings, not before obscure individuals, and as Colossians 3:23 calls us to labour wholeheartedly, as unto the Lord, not for human praise. Nevertheless, both skill and diligence, whether through study or experience, are gifts from God entrusted for the betterment of others. Finally, let us uphold integrity in every task, honour learning in all its forms, and remember that our labour, grounded in faith and humility, is never in vain before the eyes of God.

Ultimately, are we, as a society, truly honouring those who labour faithfully, study diligently, and serve selflessly, or have we allowed complacency to erode the respect that once defined our shared humanity?

In light of the above, you can refer to the full written article published on Substack: substack.com....