Education is a very valuable social activity and of course there are more than 20 reasons why education is important but we’d go with 20 reasons you must know.
Here we explore how education affects individuals on a personal level, on a societal level, as a source of development and it’s importance to nations. Passing down knowledge is inarguably one of the greatest social assets of mankind. It is true.
Every living organism can pass across data and information to offsprings but it is only mankind who can rationally communicate valuable information and discard irrational data through education.
Education originated from old times when values and language was taught to offsprings by older members of the society which consisted mostly of family members and close family friends. Over time, education began to evolve as knowledge outside family and social matters began to take preeminence, monarchs began to have their wards enrolled under the tutelage of wise men in order to bring them up to become wise leaders.
This form of formal education was largely kept away from the serfs and thus keeping knowledge and of course power within the household of the monarch.
Soon, schools of thought began to surface and adventurous young men who wanted to gain knowledge traveled far distances in order to learn from the feet of great thinkers. It is from these that philosophy and scientific knowledge grew. With scrolls and quills, documents were made by students of this very ancient education system.
With the invention of writing and the dissemination of scrolls education became even more rampant, as individuals now took it upon themselves to learn ideas without seeking recourse to a teacher. Despite this, teachers still had great relevance as not everything read from scrolls could be understood without real time explanations.
Soon the modern mode of education came into place and young children were sent through educational system in order to help them develop fitting skills for the society.
Once again, with the advent of the internet and greater ease to access of information, education is evolving. Now people can learn remotely away from the teacher but also learn as much as people within the same premises. Although this is still a developing educational system, the Corona Virus pandemic created an acceleration in the project.
Hopefully, in the near future digital education will become standardized as the globe gradually becomes one huge village. Let’s get to know the forms of Education process.
Table of Contents
Forms of Education Process
Basically there are three forms of Education, these are categorized based on how the teaching process is carried out, the formality, accessibility and chronology of existence of each form.
The three forms of education are:
1. The Informal Education
2. The Formal Education
3. The Hybrid Education
The Informal Education
Informal education involves all the unofficial learning experiences obtained from relationships between parents and their children, between siblings, friends and neighbors. Basically, it is learning from the society.
In informal education, there is no standardized method for tutoring students, this is because most of the lessons taught are not structured and are mostly one off lessons which. Certain other lessons sometimes depend upon previous ones in order to improve the social growth of the individual in the society.
The Formal Education Process
In this process the individual is enrolled into an institution which nurtures and teaches according to a given set of rules and curriculum. Education is standardized and structured. Knowledge obtained in formal education is built upon previous knowledge obtained from same. Thus, education is broken into basic, secondary and tertiary stages where several programs are undertaken by each individual. Each student is tested to ascertain the level of knowledge attained.
The Hybrid Education Process
This is a developing education process which is largely dependent on the internet and modern technology. Many countries across the world now have affordable and accessible internet services therefore providing reliable ground for the growth of E-education. The hybrid education process includes both structured and unstructured format of education hence making it a combination of both the formal and informal.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a full-course test run of this education process and the results are astonishing. Most likely, the world would end up with this education process in a not so distant future.
Importance of Education to Individuals
Education is quite important to every individual scholar who undertakes studying. Learned men and women benefit massively from education in the following ways;
1. A source of Prestige to the Scholar
Undeniably, getting educated gives influence, wealth and recognition to every Scholar.
Most societies in our modern world only award jobs and contracts to persons whom they are convinced passed through the rigors of an educational process.
Educated persons are addressed by titles of the course of study which they had undertaken, these titles are accrued despite the form of education undertaken.
Hence educated persons are addressed as Engineer Pearson, Doctor Amber, Farmer Hawkins, Trader Gracious according to their course of study.
2. Develops the Brain of Scholars
Education definitely puts the brain to task on useful and productive work. Yes, useful and productive because when you aren’t getting education, your brain still does work albeit not directed to a useful and productive task.
Research has shown that when the brain is exposed to new problems it’s growth and and ability to iterate improves. So why not exercise your brain and develop it with measured growth?
3. Provides Mentors and Colleagues to Navigate Future Ventures
During the educational process, Scholars get to meet mentors, colleagues and friends who will be much needed in the journey to success.
Without making these connections, one might get stranded on the highway of life (you wouldn’t want that person to be you!).
Importance of Education to The Society
Just like to the individual, education is very vital to the success of every single society. Without order within a society there will be chaos and anarchy. Hence in order to keep a sensible, rational, peaceful, potentially viable society every member of the society must undergo a form of education. Here we tell you the benefits of education to the society.
4. Allows for advancement of Thoughts, Theories and Ideas
Of course! What thoughts theories and ideas have not advanced over the years?
As a society, people generally do not love the idea of remaining stagnant or stuck reinventing the wheel. Therefore, getting educated informs us on what has already been done, Theories and thoughts which have already been postulated and then we continue from there by building on previous successes and discarding less useful or truthful postulations. Thus, education helps save the society useful time and energy.
5. Moulds People into Valuable Individuals in the Society
If there is a dearth of people of value in a society then that society is most likely to produce more incompetent people, lacking in ideas and skills to move the society forward. Thus mediocrity becomes the order of the day and that society gradually loses its glory. Education prevents this. It casts people into moulds of value, capable of representing the society anywhere they are called.
6. Allows for Rational communication and Discussion
Conversations can only be rational when parties involved have enough data to back up facts raised in discussions. These facts can only be learned and as they do not come from within. Thus, through education people in a society can be able to communicate effectively and rationally.
7. Education Passes down Valuable Knowledge to a New Generation
Knowledge is priceless. It becomes an eternal treasure when it is passed on to young
generations. When information is lost or distorted, it’s effect is a negative resonation in the future. Thus stable societies ensure that education is prioritized.
8. Reduces the Chances of Violence
With education, the chances of pockets of violence drastically reduces.
The Society becomes more governance and predictable. But without education, persons become unstable when emotionally heightened.
9. Creates environment for the Next Generation of Professionals to Thrive
As education is passed down an enabling system for new professionals is developed. These new professionals are created through passing down valuable data and information to the next generation.
10. Indoctrinates Societal Values
Every society has values they hold dear and vices which they abhor. Education indoctrinates new members of any society on these values and vices. Education informs what should be done and what should be avoided.
If these are adhered to, the society thrives.
Reasons why Education is Important for a Country
These days education is held to a high esteem by leaders of nations. Efforts is made by
government of nations to ensure every citizen is learned. Quality education is listed as one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is because education is very necessary for the grow of any nation.
11. Reduces the Number of Illiterates
Education enlightens and informs. Dispelling the darkness of illiteracy and instilling knowledge in citizens helps a nation to grow faster. With literate members in the society, everyone can enjoy community life while contributing to the success of the community. This prevents overly dependent citizens on the State.
12. Proper management of Wealth
With proper education, citizens in a country become more conscious of their income and their spending. Proper wealth management benefits not only the individual on a personal level but also the country on a national level.
This can only be the case when citizens are educated.
13. Allows for Exchange in cultural Values
Education allows for diffusion in culture. Various cultures come in contact without culture clashes and in such situations new cultural values get espoused. This cohesion brings about a sense of unity between peoples from different races and ethnic groups across the world and can be made possible by education.
14. Improves the GDP of a Nation
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of any nation improves with improved number of literates. This national development factor depends largely on the elite and learned society and their impact on the growth of the nation through their input in everyday work lives.
15. Reduces Crime Rate
When citizens of a nation are educated enough, the crime rate in the nation drastically reduces. People are aware of the laws and the consequences which follows if they are broken. Adherence to laws is more possible with education.
16. Provides workforce for the nation
Education churns out professionals into the workforce of any nation. With professionals in different fields working together, a country gains prestige and depends on citizens for a less costlier workforce than getting expatriates. Also the security of the nation is not compromised on hiring people from other nations.
Reasons why Education is Important for Development
Development is the improvement in people’s well-being. It has everything to do with education. Google search “Development”, I can bet you will see “Education” as a similar word. They both go hand in hand. How is this?
17. Creates Room for innovation
Firstly education creates room for innovation and as we all know, Innovation improves efficiency and effectiveness. With education healthy competition is born and nurtured until it begins to yield dividends.
18. Allows for Disprovement of unestablished data
Development is dependent on facts and not speculations or myths. Therefore any arguments which do not hold water will be discarded when a better one disproves it. With this education provides checks and balances to false data.
19. Creates Room to discard archaic thoughts and cultures
Almost similar to the Disprovement of unestablished data is the discarding of archaic thoughts and cultures. Cultures which go against the human law is discarded and thrown into the dustbin of history through education.
20. Leads to Invention
Lastly and almost similar to creating room for innovation is the fact that education leads to invention of new products and discovery of materials. All inventors were learned people in one way or they other. They applied knowledge they had obtained from education to advance their projects until it became feasible.
Top 5 Importance of Education
From the above listed benefits of education;
Here are the top 5 importance of education:
- Serves as a source of Prestige to the Scholar
- Develops the Brain of Scholars
- Provides Mentors and Colleagues to Navigate Future Ventures
- Allows for advancement of Thoughts, Theories and Ideas
- Moulds People into Valuable Individuals in the Society.
It is pertinent to note that all the 20 points listed are as important as the other. However, we have listed the 5 importance of education above going by it’s individualistic importance and it’s importance to our society at large in the order from the top of our list.
You may want to read the disadvantages and advantages of university education or the 15 free education countries for international students to study and get a degree.
So there you have it, 20 reasons why education is super, super Important. This was a lot of effort! Do you think we missed a reason? Let us know in the comment section below. What’s the reason for education?
