Why Education? Is it Worth the Struggle?

It is wisely said that “without education, man is a slave”.

In today’s world, we all want to be independent. We all want to be rich and superior to others. We would all like to have our pockets full all the time. But as things are, we are living in a competitive world where you expect no mercy; nobody will pay you without extracting a certain amount of benefits for themselves. The materialistic system of ‘give and take’ seems to be rooted at the very foundation.

This can be illustrated with the projection of a whole cycle whose basic element is ‘education’. It was born with the birth of the human race and it will continue to function as long as the human race lives. It is not only reading books or attending classes in an academic institution or knowing how to read and write that makes you an intelligent and rational person but also analyzing situations using the accumulated knowledge. It improves who you are. It is a sign of freedom. Here it is important that one should know the difference between being educated and being literate.

A literate is a person above the age of seven who can read and write in any language and perform some basic arithmetic skills whereas being educated means much more than just being literate. One should not just be literate but educated. Repeatedly, we are reminded by our parents, teachers, elders and those around us to study and attain a good education. Parents often go to harsh limits to bestow good education on their children and make them fit to face the world outside. Parents spend their lifetime savings to get their children quality education. One wonders, why so much stress on this? Why education? Why do parents do it?

If you consider how much of the national budget goes to education, then you will also make it your personal manifesto. In the 2014 /2015 annual budget, education received a hefty cheque of from the treasury. Most young people find themselves in school but they cannot give an account of why they are there. It is so unfortunate that most of the students cannot find a correlation between school life and their future. Some perceive school as a prison while others look at it as just another stage of life that you must pass through.
No student should think that there is only one reason to be in school; the one they think. Rather they should be informed of the many reasons that justify learning. It is what our minds conceive about what we do that counts, more than the value in the things we do. That is why some people will hate what they do but many people appreciate that which they don’t like. For instance, you appreciate your mother’s occupation as a nurse but she does not find it fulfilling at all. There must be value addition in our lives in whatever we do because fulfillment can only come from within us but not from what we engage in. We can only change ourselves but we cannot change how something is or the way it is done. Education is worth more than billions! The value of education isn’t confined to the employment or the survival skills you acquire. Most of the people never appreciate an unemployed educated person. They look at the job and the social status. This is how low we have placed education.

Education without learning is of no use to your life. Learning might not be what will be examined. Learning is a continuous process and it comes with experience. This experience gives knowledge, which is like the treasure that education propagates. Without learning how to form our principles, cultivate virtues and uphold integrity in life, we cannot claim to be educated. I have visited many schools and I can confidently confirm that some students think that education is a comedy club. Most of the students don’t know what they want from school. Some cannot give you credible narration of their past performance, yet they intend to improve it. It is so unfortunate that some students do not have targets. Knowing the value that one gets from constructive education is one of the best secrets that can be brought to light. Some people don’t understand how big a difference good education could make.

For clarity, let me enumerate ten reasons why education is important for an individual.

• Education will make you think deeply. • It is a personal developer. It gives you the sense of belonging.

• It adds confidence to your life.

• It enlarges your horizon and creates flourishing life networks by opening your eyes to a wider world.

• It comes with opportunities; job-related and progression in life. • It demolishes ignorance and mitigates negligence.

• It equips you with the most natural life skills.

• It helps you understand things you never understood before.

• It gives you opportunities for a better life that you would never have had without the education.

• It makes you have a competitive advantage in life.

• It remains to be the best and most lucrative investment!

• Education remains one of the strongest and versatile pillars of life.

There are so many reasons why education – and not school per se – is a necessity in our society. Below, I have outlined some of the many reasons that will help you see and attach more meaning to education. Most of us tend to think that education is just a job-oriented activity that comes to an end when we get our dream jobs. Education does not lose value and it never degrades one’s dignity; it can only make it sounder.

Excerpt ‘The Ultimate Recipe for a Wholesome Student by S.Kanja- Motivational Speaker & Author