The meaning of education Essay

Education is very important in a society because it helps to pass on knowledge, skills and values to people. John Henry Newman writes, “if then a practical end must be assigned to a university course, I say it is of training good members of society” (53). Moreover he says, “… the training of the intellect, which is best for the individual himself; best enables him to discharge his duties to society” (Newman 53). Education is supposed to help improve an individual and Jon Spayde says “The whole world’s a classroom” (65).

The three writers talk about the importance of education using different viewpoints. They posit that education is important to a society because it gives individuals a chance to become useful members of society that can make positive contributions. Moreover, education can be used to tackle the issue of gender inequality between boys and girls if the real facts affecting both genders are looked into objectively so that no gender is favored over the other.

Education helps to create citizens who are tolerant of one another and who seek answers to problems in the society. Students who get an opportunity to attend universities acquire knowledge, and skills that help them to think broadly. As they tackle their various subjects they get a chance to examine different viewpoints, and hence they are able to consult, help one another, and more importantly respect each other.

Such an approach of consultation and respect helps them in the society that has different people, and they are able to relate and tolerate each other. A university education helps the learners to form a habit that stays with them throughout their lives. The attributes of habit formed are “freedom, equitableness, calmness, moderation and wisdom” (Newman 53).

Gender equality can be attained through proper education. For a long time it has been assumed that boys have an advantage over the girls in schools. Thus, concerted efforts are made to ensure that girls bridge the gap in education between them, and the boys through policies, and laws. The policies and laws have been put in place to help curtail the advantages that boys have over girls.

The general notion is that the girl child encounter many obstacles on their way to education pursuit unlike boys hence need to be empowered to enjoy the fruits of education. Girls are encouraged to work harder in class to compete with the boys, but the boys are not told the same thing it is assumed they know that to do, and many a time some slack in class. The ignorance of the boy child has led to a large number of boys dropping out of school (Sommers 134).

Sommers posit that the assumptions that are in the public domain about the advantage of boys over girls in education are economical in truth as the reality on the ground shows a different picture. In contrast, studies show that the girl child now outshines the boy child and that is now disadvantaged. Some shun some career paths altogether. For instance, there are fewer men in elementary teaching field or nursing as these courses are viewed as a woman’s field.

On the other hand, girls are taking up more spaces at colleges. For instance, the college enrollment for women was at 55 percent against 45 percent for men in 1997 (Sommers 134). Therefore, there is need to address the issue of boys under performance in school if gender equality is to be achieved, and ensure that both boys and girls are well prepared to become useful members of the society.

The notion that the whole world is a classroom aims at encouraging meaningful education that churns out individuals into the society that are able to deal with the realty of the world. The idea is not to undermine the usefulness of school education, but to ensure that education connects to the needs in the society hence make it practical.

Education attained in the world classroom according to classical philosophers help to make the mind alive, and to do that a person needs to be alert and aware of the world around them (Spayde 69). Besides, the technological knowledge available today is not enough to make an individual a useful member of the society as they need to learn how to live with others in the society.

Technological knowledge changes very fast, but slow education imparts knowledge slowly through patience and thoroughness. It adds social, aesthetic and spiritual meaning to lives. The slow knowledge will save our planet from the threats created by advancement in technology such a global warming (Spayde 68). Hence individuals who get an education by being aware of the world around them make useful members of the society.

In conclusion, education should help to train members of the society that are able to tackle the issues of everyday life. Moreover, education should make an individual become a useful member of the society through proper training that’s helps to improve the quality of an individual’s life.

Thus, education becomes important by shaping an individual properly to make him or her address the issues in the society such as the disadvantaged position that the boy child finds himself in today. Besides, the importance of education is to give the society members who can live peacefully and tolerate each other. Lastly the proper education will help make whole individuals by adding social, spiritual and aesthetic meaning to their lives.

Works Cited

Newman, John Henry. “The idea of university.” Ed. Andrea Lunsford and John J.

Ruszkiewicz. The Presence of Others: Voices and Images That Call for Response. 5^th ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008. 51-54. Print.

Sommers, Christina Hoff. “The war against boys.” Ed. Andrea Lunsford and John J.

Ruszkiewicz. The Presence of Others: Voices and Images That Call for Response. 5^th ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008. 133-137.65-72. Print.

Spayde, Jon. “Learning in key of life.” Ed. Andrea Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz.

The Presence of Others: Voices and Images That Call for Response. 5^th ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008. Print