Meaning and Importance of Education
Education has long since been the means by which older members of a society have fostered young members so that they too may become functional members of society. The very survival of human beings on earth has been as a result of the communication of skills, morals, information and the like. Those that have come after have improved on what has been taught and continue to do so. It is through these methods that learning has evolved and become what is known as Education.
Education is derived from several Latin words, the words from which it is derived give an insight into what Education is, and what it aims to do. ‘educare’ which means ‘to bring out’ or ‘to nourish’ , ‘educatum’ which means ‘act of teaching’ or ‘training’, or ‘educatus’ which means ‘to bring up, rear’. All the words from which it is derived drive at defining the meaning of education by describing its process or goal.
Education in the most general term is the acquiring of knowledge or giving knowledge. Depending on what a particular education details, how this education is acquired, for what purpose and the results of its acquisition we come to the realization that education has several meanings. This essay will aim to explore the meaning of education and give five reasons why education is important.
The meaning of education is very complex. According to Mialaret (1985) as quoted by Kelly (1999) education has for principal meanings of the word ‘education’ (a) education as an institution (b) education as action (c) education as content (d) education as a product.
Education as an Institution; a culmination of structures dedicated solely to education in a society. “Institution” as defined by the Oxford Dictionaries (2015) is an organization founded for a religious, educational, professional, or social purpose. Education as an institution is concerned with the organizations that purpose to educate a society, such as the ministry of education which is the government institution concerned with ensuring a society is educated efficiently and effectively. In addition to this there are also private institutions that are concerned with educating people. Education as an institution is delivered either formally or informally.
Education as action; is seen as the active involvement in grooming younger offspring by educators in order for them to attain a certain level of maturity morally and intellectually so they can become functional members of their societies. Education as action is a combination of needs, goals, and methods in attaining them. The delivery of education as action can be formal, non-formal or informal.
Education as content; goes beyond the knowledge acquired in the curriculum. It extends to creation, understanding, application, and mastering by a pupil. Education as content can be seen as the entire process of the learning experience as well as the effects achieved after. The scope of education as content goes beyond curriculum.
Education as a Product; is concerned with the results or application of content by action as relayed by the institution. This is the delivery of goals set. It is mainly concerned with whether objectives of education have been achieved and are effective. The ability to reason and innovate as a member of society
Regardless of which ever approach we take in defining education, its importance in our society goes without saying. Education cannot be done without, it plays a key role in our society and there its importance must be taken note of.
One importance of education is adaptation. Education plays an important key role in the adaptation of younger members into their societies. Through education they come to be a functional part of their society. As young offspring we are taught how to speak then how to keep ourselves, through things such as feeding and cleaning. Alongside cognitive development education of morals and intellect is also given. This is the beginning of ones adaptation. Adaptation varies from one society to another. Each society will place emphasis on what is most important to them but the task of educating one to adapt is of great importance across all societies.
Another importance of education is for development. Education plays a key role in development. The Business Dictionary (2015) defines Development as 1.The systematic use of scientific and technical knowledge to meet specific objectives or requirements 2.An extension of the theoretical or practical aspects of a concept, design, discovery, or invention. Be it individual, social, economic, national, environmental development or any other development. It is through education that people attain the necessary skills in order to improve living standards. Knowledge acquired through learning advances growth and provides room for expansion and innovation in a society. “Education for Sustainable Development means including key sustainable development issues into teaching and learning; for example, climate change, disaster risk reduction, biodiversity, poverty reduction, and sustainable consumption. It also requires participatory teaching and learning methods that motivate and empower learners to change their behaviour and take action for sustainable development. Education for Sustainable Development consequently promotes competencies like critical thinking, imagining future scenarios and making decisions in a collaborative way. Education for Sustainable Development requires far-reaching changes in the way education is often practised today.” (UNESCO, 2015)