Petrus Mwambu
Education is very important in our contemporary society and a cornerstone for all aspects of our lives, and it forms the basis of all developmental activities.
By definition, education is the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, skills, attitudes, norms and values, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature adult life (Kombus, 2009). The role of education in shaping individual lives and society can be achieved by considering the following aspects.
Realising your true potential:
A good education helps you recognise yourself and your strengths. As you learn about the world and yourself, you come across things that interest you. You find things you are good at and figure out how you can contribute and help the world grow. Education gives you opportunities to explore yourself and your surroundings, and it empowers you to understand the ways of the world; it gives you the freedom to live a life of your choice.
Sharpening critical skills:
Education helps you develop critical skills like decision-making, mental agility, problem-solving and logical thinking. People face problems in their professional as well as personal lives – and in such situations, their ability to make rational and informed decisions comes from how educated and self-aware they are. Education also breeds creativity and innovation, and when one takes time to understand how the world works presently, only then can one come up with solutions and alternatives for existing problems.
More opportunities:
Investing in getting a good education will increase your confidence and help you achieve more, as education opens up new avenues. For example, when you invest in educating yourself about a particular subject, you broaden your perspective in that area. Moreover, as you educate yourself, you are learning something new every day without even realising it. Your accolades in college and otherwise are indicative of your competence, and they can open doors for you.
Financial stability:
Another benefit of having a strong educational background is financial stability. Students who graduate from esteemed colleges have a higher chance of landing well-paying jobs. This implies that the more knowledge you gain, the more skilled you become; hence, more opportunities open for you. Always remember that if you are good at something and know your way around it, rest assured you will be compensated well.
Supporting a developed society:
Education is imperative when it comes to building a modern society. When people learn about things like culture, history and science, they can view problems from a much-informed perspective. Education teaches values and helps in the development of society as a whole. It gives people a chance to mould themselves into more responsible members of society. Educated individuals are also more likely to get well-paying jobs and engage in effective trade and commerce practices. These, in turn, contribute to driving more capital to the economy. Hence, education drives growth in countries and supports a developing society.
Giving back to the community:
Education brings people together because when people afford a stable life for themselves, they are more likely to take the initiative to solve local problems. Education teaches people the need for a stable and secure community – and, as a result, people join hands to help the less fortunate and solve the community’s most pressing issues. Further than that, the importance of education is especially pronounced when we want to communicate with people from different cultures across the world, although this demands that we have a wide knowledge base for us to find common ground with someone from a different place.
Equal opportunities: Education helps us create equal opportunities, as people from different genders, religions, castes, races and cultures have multiple possibilities laid out in front of them because of education. They, in turn, strive to create more opportunities for others – even if only within their community. Education has made filling an irrational rift possible by making merit the only criterion for judgment. Education makes people more tolerant of others, as it makes them more open-minded so they can accept different views and opinions. This further opens the gates for equal opportunities and a better standard of living for everyone.
As a tool for empowerment:
Empowering someone with knowledge is the best way you can help them. This implies that educating the minority sections of society not only initiates their growth but also the growth of society because empowered people empower themselves. For instance, increased education rates for women have led more women to join the workforce across various industries and stand up against the inequality they face. More and more women are being empowered through education, which has helped in the creation of a more inclusive and empathetic society.
In conclusion, each country must strengthen its education system and ensure all citizenry receive a quality education, as poor education can lead to limited job opportunities, long-term effects of idleness, high crime rates and economic crisis.
* Petrus Mwambu is an academician, educator, researcher and scholar. He holds a Master of Arts in Educational Management, Leadership and Administration from the University of Barotseland in Zambia, an Honours degree in Educational Management, Laws and Systems and an Advanced Certificate in Education from North-West University in South Africa, a Basic Education Teacher Diploma from the then-Rundu College of Education and a Certificate in Fundamental Writings from Sierra Leone. The views expressed in this article are written in his capacity