IS EDUCATION WORTH ALL THE MONEY, TIME, AND EFFORT?

Is education worth it?

Education, as Marium Webster dictionary defines it is a process of receiving instructions or the method of learning mainly in school or university. Now, receiving instruction and learning are two entirely different phenomena. Receiving instructions deals with knowledge about something, while learning deals mainly with skills.

While every one of us accepts the fact that education is the key to every story of success, we fail to define which education system we are talking about. I believe education is only worth the time and money if it embeds a skill set in a person which can be used as an inspiration to live and earn a living.

On the contrary, students in the modern era of technology have become so blind to the competition and race of having a degree which, by the way, is mistaken for being called educated that we have lost track of the major theme behind getting an education. We want to graduate at the age of 22, and some people are mentally disturbed to the point that if they fail to graduate with their fellows, they will attempt suicide. Yes, that’s how one mentality is impeded through education. As somebody put this in beautiful lines as “I was born intelligent, but education ruined me”. Hence, what ruins us is not education but the education system.

Whatever you do, do your best. This quote has always been the force behind my back, guiding me in every situation of my life, and probably, the reason for not regretting my major decisions.

I may not be interested in changing the educational system of the world. Still, I will do my best to make the people of my community aware of the fact that despite the highest literacy rate, the reason behind our failure is the system of our education. Now, to make it very clear to the readers, you have all the freedom to disagree with me on this note, but the point I am trying to make here is that we need to scrutinize how we define failure. Is just the tagline of highest literacy rate enough to be called as educated? A big No. We need to dig much deeper and address the issue with a broad mentality and acceptance of our flaws.

Now, lets observe the role of culture in our literacy and our lifestyles. I believe much of the etiquette we mistakenly assign to our literacy rate are because of our culture and religion has a very diverse role in shaping over culture. Moreover, the fact that Islam is based on principles like honesty, integrity, brotherhood and peace which makes our culture richer in etiquette and thus education fails to play any significant role here.

Now, if etiquette and manners for living a morally acceptable and peaceful life are taught by culture and religion, education’s role is more streamlined towards skill sets which is least observable in our education system. For example, in a mass communication class, a student is taught how to read already written paragraphs in front of the class, but debating is very least observed. In a class of genetics, how Darwin came up with the idea of natural selection is taught but nobody teaches how to think in a creative way to come up with more discoveries in the diverse world. Everyone is supposed to think in the same manner, creativity is discouraged, and we end up as slaves of the corporate world. Students are expected to choose their intended field of studies before knowing how many subjects exist. Jobless is a tagline used to make the students afraid and lose their self-confidence and motivation to try something new.

Einstein’s teacher declared him mad and decided he could not study with other students in school because his mental level is below that of an average student. But her mother’s faith in him and his creativity make him one of the most renowned scientists of all time. I wish every student gets the same support from their parents but that’s not the case. Rather, somewhat of opposite scenarios are observed in today’s world. Parents expect their children to graduate and have a decent job with a descent salary to live life. But I guess decency and mediocrity leads us to live with ignorance. And ignorance is the pest that feeds on creativity and leaves us with suffering. That’s how stagnant our education system is and stagnancy leads to extinction.

Well, if you want to save your kids and the generation before stagnancy starts feeding on our creativity, you need to get up and raise your voices against the current education system. But if you fail to observe a change, be the change. Start teaching your kids in a different way and investing in their future in a more creative way. Because to cause a change, you must start from your own self, then as time passes by, people will follow you because the masses only lack a lead to follow. Set the example, take the risk, provide them with the lead and you will see the world changing and changing for good. Then only our education would be worth all the time, money, and effort. Let’s not let them go in vain.