If you have ever graduated you would know what it feels like as you look forward to the day of your sendoff. A Graduation ceremony is a special epoch in the life of an individual. After weeks, months, or years of hard work and perseverance, with the accompanying, occasional frustrations of the prospective graduate, that one farewell day represents a very important part of the life of the individual. Because it offers them the rare opportunity to share the glorious fruit, if at all they get succeeded, with their family members, friends and their loved ones.    

But this is not all that graduation ceremonies are about. They also are a crucial transition point. A sober prospective graduate would rather contemplate what the immediate future hold for them, rather than immersing themselves deep in the not-so-significant aspects of mere rejoicing.  

In the past few months, we have been seeing graduation ceremonies, on average, three times in every two days. The tradition is that influential figures in the society are honored to address the departing students.  This is important in that such a personality would serve as a source of inspiration for them. In a recent graduation ceremony, at a certain school, the guest speaker highlighted the ever topical issue of discipline, a subject that is no new in this section of this paper. That is what, in fact, stimulated this current write-up.

In every organized institution like the school, discipline serve as a sealant against lack of control; it is needless to say that a society where no one is in control is like a ship without a captain, which will soon stray into the wilderness. As students, your chances of getting the ultimate from your teacher depend greatly on how motivating he/she feels to share with the class. Remember that you can acquire everything with force except wisdom.  

This issue of discipline far transcends life in the classroom. In fact, you may be entitled to a fair level of allowances for your excesses because of you are as a student. But as soon as you seize to be one, and you venture out of those gates of your school, you are no more entitled to that implied student immunity.  Then what ever you gain will be greatly dependent on how you apply whatever you will have learnt in your previous school. If you happen to be someone that has been used to challenging authority in school, the world outside will introduce you into something different in life. Before you get accustomed to it, it might be too late. Your success or failure will be determined by what you do today for tomorrow.

The general society is also concerned with the discipline of an individual because it is the people that constitute such a society; and the outlook of their attitude dictates the nature of the society. An undisciplined core of youth influences the future military base, for instance. Certainly, a nation with an undisciplined military is in constant insecurity. Therefore, how we mold our children today determines greatly the shape of the future of our nation. This makes the issue of upbringing a crucial task, incumbent on all; parents, religious leaders, opinion leaders, politicians, youth leaders, etc.