Education Goes Far Beyond Just Getting a Decent Job

Education is a key component of progress for both individuals and society, it opens doors to social justice, economic opportunity, and personal growth. It provides the necessary skills for employment success and prepares people for the workplace, but its advantages go well beyond just helping people land a respectable job. 

Critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving abilities are developed by education and are highly valuable in many facets of life, not just the workplace. Additionally, it is essential in promoting moral and ethical principles, which helps to create law-abiding, ethical citizens.

In addition, education fosters curiosity in other concepts, ideologies, and cultural traditions, which enhances human development and advances global comprehension. Crucially, education is a lifelong process that broadens our perspectives, deepens our understanding, and improves our capacity to make meaningful contributions to society at every stage of development. It is not limited to childhood or the classroom. Having access to high-quality education is essential for creating a world that is more enlightened, accepting, and forward-thinking, regardless of an individual’s age, origin, or geographic location. We can solve global issues, advance justice, and maintain significant changes in our communities through education.

US President Barack Obama, said to a gathering in Washington D.C. on July 25th, 2009, that “In an economy where knowledge is the most valuable commodity a person and a country have to offer, the best jobs will go to the best educated – whether they live in the United States or India or China”.  

The importance of education is clearly emphasized through President Barack Obama’s address. He clearly stated that education is extremely crucial for holding a good job and for making a flourishing career.

He said this in the context of a common perception of people all around the world. On the government level this has always been the perception, but limiting education merely to secure a well-paying job does not go well with its wide and broader significance in human lives. So, what other factors make it so crucial?

         Education helps us with many things, but most importantly, it empowers an individual to think, question, and see beyond the obvious. Human beings are born with a natural tendency to question. Education is the best way to satiate our curiosity, without extinguishing the burning desire to learn and explore more.

(A)Education provides in-depth knowledge

• Education broadens our horizons and gives us a better understanding of the world around us and how things work.
• The world needs education since it is the basis of a civilized, structured society.
• Education helps people to think rationally and avoid illusions in life.
• Education reduces social and economic disparity, allowing progress to be shared equally.
• Education reduces social and economic disparity, allowing progress to be shared equally.

(B)Education Increases Agility of The Brain

• Studies indicate that educated people have longer life expectancy. They tend to lead a healthier lifestyle by exercising more and playing more sports. Most of them understand the implications of diet and lifestyle on their health, enabling them to make healthy choices.
• On average, educated people have more meaningful and interesting jobs than those held by uneducated people. They are usually in a position to make decisions at work. This results in higher job satisfaction which leads to a better quality of life.

(C)Education Increases Self-Esteem

• Educated people are found to have higher self-esteem. Their lives are mostly well-planned and have a definite direction. They have better problem-solving skills and are consequently better equipped to handle everyday decisions.
• Children of educated parents have access to better education facilities. These children have a higher cognitive development as compared to children of uneducated parents. Educated people are better positioned to contribute positively to society, and even to the environment, as they understand the implications of their choices and actions.

    In developing countries, education is viewed to alleviate poverty and engineer social change. It isn’t a magic pill for solving all the problems. But it can surely be a ladder to climb out of poverty, exclusion, ignorance, oppression, and war.

One may turn back the pages of history and reexamine primitive societies and their barbaric lives. It is the best way to realize the need of education. 

Many ineffective, modern educational systems have proved successful in opening people’s eyes, but they have closed people’s minds. It is very important to analyze needs and improvise the support system to ensure a better future for forthcoming generations. Its purpose should be to empower mind and soul, to achieve its full potential. Whether our systems achieve or hinder that purpose is another discussion.

Conclusion

In essence, the true value of education extends far beyond the conventional goal of securing employment; it is a lifelong journey enriched with endless possibilities. Education offers us the tools to explore, innovate, and adapt continuously, allowing us to thrive in various aspects of life. 

While the practical benefits of education, such as vocational skills and job preparation, are akin to the milk derived from a cow—valuable and nourishing—it is crucial not to overlook the broader intellectual and personal growth it fosters, which, although less tangible, are equally significant. As we embrace education in its fullest sense, we must strive to extract and appreciate both the ‘milk’ and the ‘dung’—the immediate and transformative benefits that education provides. This comprehensive approach ensures that we are not merely content with superficial gains but are also enriched by the deeper, lasting virtues of knowledge and wisdom.

The writer is working at the Department of General Education, SUC, Sharjah, UAE 

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