Why is Education so Important?

Why is Education so Important?

 Aristotle said, “The educated differ from the uneducated as much as the living from the dead.” If we want to understand and live life we need to seek an education. The courses and textbooks teach us how to think logically, mathematically, and scientifically. The classroom environment teaches us how to think emotionally, rationally, and socially. Our intelligence grows out of what we know and learn.
Knowledge unlocks human potential. As we learn, we can pull ourselves out of poverty and oppression. We can take control of our lives.

Education Charts your Future

President Obama  said to America’s youth, “Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Because here in America you write your own destiny, you make your own future.” This counsel applies to all Americans no matter their situation or age. Education provides us the opportunity to discover what we are good at and what we can offer. We can then apply those skills and passions in a career.

The future is full of challenges.  We need to learn the sciences to cure cancer, the technology to build better computers, and the history to heal nations.  Higher education prepares us to meet and conquer these and other challenges.

Education Brings Benefits

With increased learning and knowledge, we are more able to support our families and ourselves.  Having a college degree shows hard work and dedication. We will be more likely to be considered for promotions and be better able to change jobs or careers, if needed.

The majority of college graduates earn higher salaries than those with little or no higher education. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that those with advanced degrees earned about two times the median weekly earnings for those with a high school diploma or equivalent.  Unemployment levels are also significantly lower for those carrying a college degree.

Education Builds Character

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.” Everyone has gifts and talents. Education teaches us how to develop those talents and uphold good morals.

Where do we learn to share? Where do we learn not to hit or hurt each other? Where do we learn to say we are sorry? Where do we learn to clean up after ourselves? Where do we learn honesty? Where do we learn the Golden Rule?

School teaches us how to live and how to function in society. These simple principles are repeated from kindergarten to college graduation. Without education we lose the little rules that make living possible.

We come to understand humanity through our educational experiences. We learn the basic social standards of our culture and look into the standards of other cultures. Surrounded by diverse classmates we learn together and from each other. We form relationships. We learn to work together. We learn to respect one another’s opinions. We learn how to ask questions and most importantly we learn how to listen.

Education is the pathway to the future we want.  Going to college and gaining a higher education allows us to develop our skills and abilities. We can be more prepared for the workforce. We can meet the challenges of today and tomorrow with confidence.  Our increased knowledge and degree can help us earn more money. Why is education so important? Without education, as described by Aristotle, we just might not be living life.