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WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF EDUCATION?
“Education is the engine of our economy, it is the foundation of our culture, and it’s essential preparation for adult life.” (Nick Gibb, delivered on July Ninth, 2015)
I have provided a link below to an interview where Schools Minister Nick Gibb comments on the State of Education in the United Kingdom.
Today I will be discussing the purpose of education, and why that I feel it is something that should be given to every child. Everybody has had some sort of education in their life, this can be at home or at school. Gaining knowledge on any topic is a form of education. “schooling sets out to support society in nurturing its young people. All schooling is part of education, but not all education takes part in school. School is but a small part of a very big whole” (Waters, 2013)
The purpose of education, to me, is to prepare our future generation for an ever-changing world. We will learn, develop and grow in all aspects of life at school. In education, we learn to read, write and count which are all academic aspects of education, but to also grow as an individual who communicates with others, is polite, and also is aware of what’s going on in the world. I consider myself extremely lucky to have had an education provided by the local authorities (especially a bilingual education), as many children around the world have to pay for their education, which often results in them not finishing school, or not going in the first place. “Education is the engine of our economy. It is the foundation of our culture, and it’s essential preparation for adult life” I strongly agree with this statement, as education provides us with the knowledge and abilities to be able to go forward in improving the economy. Whether that be in education, politics, engineering or medical, we sometimes have to complete necessary tasks, and prove our knowledge to be able to achieve those careers. I feel that education gives you many skills that enable you to go forward in doing so, and helps connect you with those who could shape your future.
Schools have curriculums in place to be able to meet with national standards across the board, and also to assess whether their children are achieving what they should, and being taught what they should. “Schools can only achieve so much and should be seen to complement and supplement what a good society already offers. In our schools we teach little linguists, budding artists, fledgling mathematicians, growing scientists and emerging historians. We teach future engineers, architects, lawyers, performers and journalists. Schooling can helpsociety to do its job and secure all our futures but it’s not the sole provider of that education” (Waters, 2013) Waters states that as teachers, we are educating and inspiring the next generation. We are giving them the opportunity to aspire to be whatever they wish, and also helping them recognise what subjects they thrive in (and would like to pursue), and which subjects they sometimes need to work on. Our new curriculum, Successful Futures offers six areas of earning experience, which offer students the chance to explore into subjects such as the arts, technology, and health and well-being.
Paulo Freire, (1992) states that ‘education is a right’. And also comments on the fact that the type of education should depend on the type of community. This is something that I have experienced, as a Welsh child. Wales is extremely fortunate to be able to offer the local communities the option to learn in a Welsh or English medium school. Children who attend Welsh medium schools will learn two languages fluently, whereas English medium students will primarily speak English, but have Welsh lessons, too. Our local communities benefit from bilingualism, as more and more jobs view the skill as an excellent trait. Being bilingual gives you, and the company that you work for the opportunity to communicate with a broad range of people.
REFERENCES
1. ‘The 30thAnniversary of the UNESCO Institute for Education’ UIE Reports no. 6, 1992
2. British Government, 2015. ‘The Purpose of Education’ (speech) https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-purpose-of-education
3. Good Morning Britain, 2018. ‘Nick Gibb comments on the State of Education in the UK’.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCMo7mpGDyQ
4. Waters, M. 2013. ‘Thinking Allowed on Schooling’. Independent Thinking Press, Wales.
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