Listen, my daughter, if you want to ever amount to anything important in life, you must work very, very hard in school. The world has become so complicated that one has to know many different things just to do well in their job.

Dad, you say that, but I know so many people who are making it today without any education.

Well, education comes in many ways, Jane. It is not just formal education that I am talking about. In these days of the internet, you can educate yourself very easily and become as conversant with global affairs as one who was educated formally through university degrees.

Dad, I know all that and you've said it before. But I do know of people who have risen to very high positions in society without even that.

No, there are no such people these days, Jane, unless you are talking about those "careers" that involve crime, corruption and such things. Any good, clean career now requires that one be very intelligent, very articulate and very well-informed on the major issues that dominate that career and even in other issues that might seem disconnected to their career. Always remember that, my daughter. We are now in the knowledge age.

Dad, I'm sorry for arguing against you so hard, but I still don't think you are right.

It's okay my daughter. If you disagree with me you should be able to challenge me, as long as you avoid arguing for the sake of arguing, which means if you STILL don't agree with me, it should only be because you STILL have a point against what I am saying. It is dull to still disagree just because you didn't agree with me in the first place!

No, I am not just still disagreeing for the sake of it, dad. I am disagreeing with you because I don't think you've read today's papers.

What's in the papers?

Well, the president has just appointed a certain woman to a very high position in government, and I am quite sure this woman is not educated, either formally or informally.

How can you know that? If she's just been appointed then you can't know if she is well-informed on issues relating to that position at least. Don't listen to what people say. You have to give her time and see if she's as bad as you think. You see, the president knows most of these people more than we do because he has many people he can ask about someone.

Well, dad, I truly respect everything you are saying, but I think you should just read the newspapers.

Why? Which newspaper? What does it say?

Well, one of these new innovative newspapers decided to do something interesting after the president appointed the new ministers. They decided to ask them some simple questions concerning their work. All I can say, dad, is that you should read it.

Jane, just tell me what it says.

Okay, let me read out the first part for you:

"The new deputy minister in charge of the environment was asked a number of questions and this is what she said:

1. Madam, what do you think Zambia's policy on the environment should be?
Her answer: Er, it should be clean, my dear. Very clean.

2. Do you think Zambia should continue being a signatory to the Kyoto Treaty in your new administration since big powers like America have continued to reject it?
Her answer: What? Ati Kyoto? Not Tokyo mwe bantu? Anyway, I will get back to you on that one, my dear.

3. What about all these issues of global warming; is that really relevant to Zambia right now?
Answer: Ahhh. Globe warming you said? Yes, it is good this globe warming, you know. It is bringing many tourists to Zambia because they don't have globe warming in their countries. Have you been to Canada? Me I've been to Canada twelve times and they don't have globe warming there. I am going back there again for workshop and I will tell them to come visit us so they can experience globe warming of our nice country. That's why my job is so important."

My daughter, I don't know what to say to that. All I can say is, tell your mother to get you a passport because I think it is now about time we left this country. I don't think we are serious about making progress. Jesus!