When we think about education, we often view school in a traditional, formal sense. Many people believe that true learning can only take place in a formal classroom setting. Others feel education occurs in many different forms and environments. There may not be a definitive answer to the question of, ‘What is Education?’ However, we can start thinking about the purpose of education. Is it to educate youth to be responsible citizens? Is it to develop individuals, as well as society, in order to ensure a society’s economic success? Or is the purpose of education to simply focus on developing individual talents and intelligence? Perhaps it is the balance of all three that defines education? While our answers may differ, we can perhaps agree that education is a basic human right. When... (more)

When we think about education, we often view school in a traditional, formal sense. Many people believe that true learning can only take place in a formal classroom setting. Others feel education occurs in many different forms and environments. There may not be a definitive answer to the question of, ‘What is Education?’ However, we can start thinking about the purpose of education. Is it to educate youth to be responsible citizens? Is it to develop individuals, as well as society, in order to ensure a society’s economic success? Or is the purpose of education to simply focus on developing individual talents and intelligence? Perhaps it is the balance of all three that defines education? While our answers may differ, we can perhaps agree that education is a basic human right. When that right is granted growth and development, the society as a whole is more likely to improve in areas such as health, nutrition, general income and living standards and population fertility rates.

The information in this section will prompt you to think about some very important issues surrounding the topic of education. As global citizens of the world it is our responsibility to critically think about these issues and attempt to come up with solutions to the problems plaguing education. In 1990 UNESCO launched EFA, the movement to provide quality education for all children, youth, and adults by the year 2015. Seventeen years later much progress still needs to be made if we are to achieve the goal for 2015. The unfortunate reality is that for many countries, larger issues precede improving the quality of education. How can we achieve the goals of EFA when numerous countries around the world are faced with challenges that seem far too impossible to overcome?

The answer lies in attempting to bridge some of the gaps that prevent developing nations to compete with developed nations. One example is that of providing greater access to technology and narrowing the ever widening digital divide. In many ways the most basic access to technology can serve as a valuable educational tool. Individuals who are not afforded this access are at a disadvantage when trying to grasp opportunities to make life better for themselves, their families, and their community.

Another issue that poses a barrier to widespread development is that of literacy. There still remains a rather larger percentage of illiterate youth and adults in many nations around the world. Economic difficulty and lack of education get in the way of decreasing illiteracy rates. As you will learn in the following sections, literacy is no longer simply limited to reading and writing.

There are many different capacities in which an individual living in the twenty-first century can be literate. Helping to strengthen skills in other areas, can still help to make progress on sustaining the development of a nation, as well as achieve gender equality. The gender gap in education points to the fact that females are still not afforded the same opportunities as males. In many parts of the world cultures see no value in educating females. Two of the eight Millennium Development Goals, achieving universal primary education and promoting gender equality, seek to close the gaps that exist in the education around the world. If we can make some advancement on achieving these goals, we can further the progress on the remaining six. Education is the foundation for the success of any given society. Numerous studies have shown the correlation between education and lower birth rates, lower infant mortality rates and fewer maternal deaths. Furthermore, a more educated population will also result in higher personal incomes as we all expand access to financial opportunities.

In summary therefore, education does not only encourage personal development but also provides a place for people to interact, socialize, and unify their societies. (wiki)