Education is what helps us in inculcating beliefs, values and life defining information in people. It’s not something confined to schools or colleges alone, it’s ambivalent and all pervasive. When we talk about education, the very first thing that strikes us is knowledge. To a huge extent, it is restricted to academic knowledge and information but if we look at the bigger picture then education is not merely bookish knowledge but knowledge on the whole. Knowledge about our rights, justice, cultures, society, and the ways that can lead to our development and the development of the nation on the whole.
Having said this, let’s understand the relevance of education in the growth of a nation. Education is one of the most important tools, necessary for the advancement of a country, it can be considered as important as finances, in fact in some cases it could play an even more important role than money because unless you have the knowledge to earn money, invest it and understand how to spend it mindfully, you would only end up destroying the economy instead of further growing it. That’s why ‘Human Capital’ becomes one of the most important resources for the development of a country. Investment in human capital is a much-needed aspect that must be properly taken care of . Its sheer importance lays the need for more and more emphasis on education which is an integral part of human capital development.
Importance of education:
- Advancement through innovation: Innovation is developing new and smarter technologies using new dimensions of acquired knowledge. A nation that stays up to date with the changing trends of the corporate and industrial trends, is sure to advance by leaps and bounds. In order to advance and enhance the overall growth of a nation, educated and skilled professionals are needed.
- Strong healthcare system: A nation has to stay healthy in order to thrive and advance. And the healthcare system of the country plays an integral role in the prevention and protection against deadly viruses and diseases. If the field of medical education is not given importance then a nation can easily succumb to various epidemics and pandemics.
- Removing poverty: The biggest reason for poverty is illiteracy, the uneducated population has no scope of getting good and high-paying jobs as these jobs require a basic educational requirement. So, education becomes an important tool in alleviating the pitiable condition of nearly half of our population living under poverty line.
- Elimination of crime: It has been observed that educated people understand the relevance of healthy relationships and harmony amongst family members as well as the members of society. Relying on the information and knowledge gathered during education, a rational man do not get easily brainwashed into judging others on the basis of gender, caste or race. Domestic violence, child labor, etc. are less likely to be prevalent amongst educated people.
- Commerce and trade: Commerce and trade is the backbone of the economy of any country. Education plays a vital role in the betterment and development of commerce and trade of a country on a national as well as international level.
- Women empowerment: In the olden times, women were considered a liability and they did not have any say in any decisions of their lives, they were even denied the right to education. But with the changing times, and importance being given to the education of women, a lot of old and evil customs like the dowry system, child marriage, female feticide, sati pratha, no widow remarriage, etc. are being eliminated to a huge extent. As educated women are strong and capable to voice out their opinions and also have knowledge about their rights and laws.
- Law and order: Without knowing about the rights and regulations that have been created by the government, a person cannot stand against injustice or help another individual in getting justice.
- Upliftment of the weaker sectors of the society: Due to lack of education and a high rate of illiteracy, a large section of the society is subjected to discrimination and hardships on the basis of caste, creed, and gender. They become victims of untouchability, are also deprived of their basic rights.
- Development of interpersonal skills: Education enables an individual to grow in many ways. Knowledge about various languages and subjects helps in the enhancement of a person’s communication skills and confidence. A well-educated person can confidently communicate and be a part of, meetings, seminars, public speaking, etc., and also has remarkable writing skills.
- Protection against external forces: Security is a very important aspect in everyone’s life. Education teaches us to fight battles through words rather than weapons, but it also helps us build and innovate new techniques and weapons that can be used by the armed forces to protect the territories of a nation.
For the creation of a better society that is strong and informed, education is a must. A country that has a solid educational system can deal with any kind of challenges, as it won’t be dependent on any external source for help, it will have an army of educated citizens who can use their knowledge and knowhow to solve any kind of problem and work towards the betterment of their country on the whole.
Dr. Shivani Kaul