Importance Of Education In A Society
Education is a paramount need in today’s world. The society has greatly emphasized the need for people to acquire it particularly higher education. The society holds a belief that, an educated individual stands to reap more benefits while compared to an uneducated one. There are exceptions to this view, but it is clear that education provides superior benefits. The subject of pursuing education is one that is not new, education begins from elementary school up to the college level, and even though people hate to wake up early or spend extended times reading and taking tests, they all know education is a valuable asset to them in the future. The idea of education is a big issue in different cultures. Every society wants more people that are educated so that they can enjoy the services of expert individuals such as doctors, teachers, and mechanics among others. Nevertheless, a question always lingers on what it means to be educated and what impact education has on society. The essay will discuss the contribution education provides to society.
The importance of education in a society
Education disseminates knowledge. Different societies all over the world maintain their existence by continually exploring and observing their culture. For communities, it is essential to follow their beliefs, skills, arts, religion, music, and philosophies and share them from one generation to the other (Banks & Banks, 2009, pp. 32-34pp). Schooling comes in to enable the transfer of knowledge from one generation to the other through education. In today’s world, the education sector has taken up this mandate by integrating cultures, history, and heritage of different people in classroom learning. For instance, Isaac Newton’s law of motion came into existence in 1700, and schools and colleges through lectures and books continually pass on this knowledge to generations progressively. Moreover, students from different generations repeatedly study histories to acquire awareness and help them avoid similar mistakes.
Education plays a key role in supporting the lives of people in the society. It does so by eradicating poverty. Education is a precondition for both short-lived and long-lived economic growth. For any country in the world to achieve economic success they ensure that at least, approximately forty percent of all its adults accomplish essential reading and writing skills. Nations that have failed this test notably by sidelining women’s education are estimated to have suffered a loss of ninety-two billion dollars each year. Thus, learning becomes a tool of earning a livelihood whereby, when individuals acquire it, they can develop specialized expertise in the various field and grow into valuable assets to the market (European Network of Education Councils, 2009, pp. 53). Accordingly, they get a satisfying form of employment with an increase in earning by ten percent as compared to the uneducated. Because of the salary, one can afford a good home, clothes, enough food and luxury needs in life. Hence, get rid of poverty and become productive members of society.
Education offers a founding pillar of peace in the society. It is through education that different people from different ethnicities, cultures, religions, and nationalities come together. In the United States, for instance, its school system, mainly colleges attract a wide array of students from all over the world. Here, students experience diverse people, cultures, ways of life and religion, thereby, promoting understanding and acceptance that elicits harmony (Results Organization, 2012, pp. 3). Thus, in such a country, education nourishes peace by eradicating violence tendencies, hatred, and discrimination founded on people and instead, brings them together and ensures inclusivity in development, democracy, and security. For instance, because of the various terrorist attacks, among them the 9/11 attack; there was the development of fear and suspicion towards the Muslim community. However, through education, people can discern Muslim’s beliefs from those of terrorist. Moreover, Muslim children get to learn about their religion and its teachings, which informs and eliminates any notion that terrorism has any benefit to them.
Education promotes the survival of societies through empowerment of women and girls. Previously, numerous countries especially in developing countries, considered educating women as a waste of time and unwarranted. Because of this tradition, these countries have suffered immensely through poor health, inability to raise independent and successful children and poverty that collectively caused poor economic growth (Results Organization, 2012, pp. 1). Education is essential as when women and girls get access; it consequences in healthy and nourished children as women learn healthy diets to feed their families; they gain knowledge on how to provide excellent parental care and influence their children positively towards striving for higher education. Moreover, educating girls results in a reduction in cases of venereal diseases such as HIV/AIDS, alleviation of poverty and abandoning of cultural practices such as female genital mutilation, early marriages and unplanned pregnancies (Results Organization, 2012, pp. 2-3). Also, it instills confidence and power to make independent decisions thus, giving them freedom.
Education promotes the completion of the social process. In the olden days, the family unit played the primary role in instilling socialization skills in children. However, due to modernization and evolution of the family unit, modern families leave most of these essential responsibilities undone. Educational institutions thus, take up this incredible burden of completing this process by inculcating knowledge and skills, as well as, values such as honesty, right from wrong and discipline and upholding of the law. Such virtues become apparent through the teaching of history, religion and celebrations of various holidays whose meaning glorifies specific values (Banks & Banks, 2009, pp. 35). For instance, the Christmas holiday encourages sharing.
Education confers status to individuals in society. The amount of education one holds in various countries plays a vital role in determining the class position they are in society. The social stratosphere groups people in different classes, namely the upper, middle or lower class. When a person becomes educated, their position in the social sphere rises as their profile upsurges, and they receive better remuneration than others do. In turn, it gives them the power to live a particular lifestyle that is not a purview of all people in a community. Hence, the society observes such an individual with high esteem. As more people attain the upper class in social stratification, they push a country high up on the country’s class determination, making it the best.
Conclusion
In today’s society, an individual cannot achieve their maximum best without education. Being educated leads to numerous successes while eliminating ignorance that propels various adverse effects in a community. Society pushes for a more educated population as an educated society has immense knowledge; it promotes the social process and eradicates poverty by giving people good lives. Consequently, it helps the growth of the economy and in turn, make a society self-sufficient. Education propels peace by creating harmony, understanding and mutual respect of other people. Through it, women’s profiles rise to become independent and self-governing individuals of society who promotes the advancement of families, improves their health and inspires success in their offsprings, while raising their social status.
References
- Banks, J. A., & Banks, C. A. M. (Eds.). (2009). Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives. John Wiley & Sons (pp. 32-38).
- European Network of Education Councils. (2009). The innovative role of education in society:
- Report of the expert seminar of the European Network of Education Councils. European Network of Education Councils, 53-54.
- Results Organization. (2012). Why is education for all so important? Results Organization, 1-4.