Educating children and adults lay the foundation upon which we build our future.

These are the 10 reasons why education is important:

1. Character Building

A well-defined and adequate education system creates an environment for character building based on six pillars: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. It teaches us lessons on sustained efforts, self-discipline, time management skills and getting things done on time. We also learn to take responsibilities for our actions and treat others the way we want to be treated. Education also creates an environment for us to set goals, engage in healthy competitions and becoming confident individuals. Essentially, a right education makes one a better human being.

2. Development Of The Mind

Different subjects develop individuals cognitively in different ways so we can realise our potential. For instance, Mathematics teaches us the power of reasoning, creativity, abstract or spatial thinking, critical thinking, problem-solving ability, and effective communication skills.

Subjects like Literature strengthens writing skills, stimulates intellectual curiosity, enhances memory, and encourages one to be critical, all of which are important skills that we should be equipped with to excel in jobs and life in general.

Studying history is also equally important as it allows us to understand our past, which in turn allows us to understand our present. Likewise, it is vital for everyone to study Geography as it pervades every aspect of our lives. Understanding it helps us make sense of current and historical events, whether it be economy, politics, or social issues.

3. Combats Poverty And Allows Self-dependency

Education paves the way to employment and prevent the transmission of poverty between generations. Education is the only hope which could bring people out of the vicious circle of poverty. Every country must ensure that everyone has the necessary skills to survive and succeed in a world of automation by 2030. It has been estimated that about 171 million people could be lifted out of extreme poverty if everyone is at least equipped with basic reading, numeracy, writing and skills to keep pace with the economy. Education protects people financially and help them to live their lives on their feet.

4. Economy Growth

Education is an investment in human capital, raises people’s productivity and creativity. It promotes entrepreneurship and technological advances. According to the World Bank, one of the pivotal benefits of education is labor market earnings. Workers with more education earn higher wages than employees with no post-secondary education. Those with only a high school degree are twice as susceptible to unemployment than workers with a bachelor’s degree. Education plays a crucial role in securing economic progress and improve income distribution.

5. Provides Geopolitical Stability

Without a proper educational system which is made available to everyone, terrorists could use free education to radicalise people. In other words, geopolitical stability is one of education’s most powerful effects on society.

6. Empower Women And Girls

Women who are educated are usually better decision makers and have higher self-confidence. Educated women are also more likely to delay marriage and have children when they are truly ready. This can ensure that the family will be well taken care of because the mother is prepared for the responsibilities of being a parent. Educated women have a higher likelihood of preventing their children from dying from preventable causes.

The idea of women as caregivers and in charge of looking after the household has been accepted as a norm without question and education is the best tool to tackle the long-standing gender stereotypes and inequalities that hold girls back. It provides them the knowledge to make safe and empowered decisions about their own bodies and futures.

Education also allows women to have better access and opportunities in the workforce. Women can live their dreams by pursuing their goals, and able to find their voices and rise to the many challenges in life.

7. Social Equality

In order for the entire world to really become equal, it needs to start with education. If everyone were to be provided with the same opportunities to education, everyone will be able to compete on an equal social footing so there will be less gaps among social classes. This in turn prevent social conflicts and everyone will live together in harmony with no crime, all for the betterment of the country.

8. Allows Development Of Friendship

No man is an island and in the process of getting an education, we make new friends, and these friendships could last a lifetime. A recent Harvard study concluded that having solid friendships in our life even helps promote brain health. Friend helps us deal with stress, make better lifestyle choices that keep us strong, and allow us to rebound from health issues and disease more quickly.

9. Preservation Of Culture Or Social Heritage.

Culture is the blood vein of a society, which needs to be conserved. It is an important function of education to help in the preservation of culture or social heritage. Education plays a major role in transmission of culture by inculcating the traditions, customs, values, arts and morals into the tender minds of pupils. It socialises an individual in one hand and it preserves, transmits and promotes the culture of a society on the other. In brief, education and culture are mutually interwoven, complementary and supplementary in all their aspects. Education is important as it reifies cultures.
Our home is the first educational institute where we start learning. School education develops some subject related knowledge, scientific knowledge or some other skills but we learn how to behave with others and learn moral values at home.

10. Instill Life-Long Interests And Appreciations For The Arts

A holistic education is important as it instills life-long interests and appreciations for the arts and arts permeates the world; the clothes we wear, the abodes we live in, the buildings we work in, the music we hear, the books we read, the movies we watch and even the food we eat. Arts also bring and strengthen communities, reduce isolation and make people feel safer. Not only that, arts also allow us to express ourselves and illustrate the world around us in a different light. Every society needs arts to flourish simply because arts encourage civility and have the power to change lives and heal minds.

A holistic education develops individuals intellectually, emotionally, socially, physically, artistically, creatively, and spiritually. It enables individuals to grow from all facets and become successful in every sphere of professional and personal life.  Education in every sense is one of the fundamental factors of development for any country. No country can achieve sustainable economic development without substantial investment in human capital and the only way to achieve that is through education.