Education System or No Education – A Big Decision
Education is the systematic process of enabling individuals to acquire knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, socialization, beliefs, and personal habits. Educational systems include training, teaching, academic study and guided social research. The process aims at developing persons’ ability to learn from their experiences and also to develop their minds in a particular direction. It also helps them in realizing their goals by equipping them with knowledge and skills they need to reach their destinations.
A study on the demographics of the United States by the Economic and Social Research Council of India revealed that there has been a drastic change in the educational policies of states in the last thirty years. While thirty years ago many states experimented with open primary education system, most of them now have established closed systems. Some states also allow parents to drop their kids at an early secondary level, while others permit them to finish high school before taking up further studies. Whereas earlier parents used to be encouraged to continue to attend school till they reached the adult level, today there are hardly any such adults around. This phenomenon has led to the situation where fewer people are interested in continuing their schooling beyond secondary school.
For an educated person, the best way to progress is to get more education. There is less competition for jobs if you have a degree or qualifications other than those possessed by your wife, spouse or parents. Moreover, an aspiring jobseeker with a good higher education will stand a better chance of improving his/her income. A survey conducted in the US by the Center for the Study of Medicine at the University of Colorado College of Medicine found that almost nine out of every ten employed individuals with higher education are still working, compared to just over half of those with lower education levels. The unemployment rate for those with degree was two percent lower than the rate for those with high school education.
A recent study by the Pew Research Centre also indicates that there is a drastic decrease in student loan debts owed by college graduates. The number of people filing bankruptcy actually rose after the recession period. This means that there is less student debt to be handled by public colleges and universities. The college degrees, which are getting more popular among people are the degrees in computer science, business, engineering and health care, accounting, criminal justice and other relevant fields.
However, it is not possible to conclude that students who do not continue with their education are negligent or irresponsible, especially when they do not get sufficient job skills as well. Students who do not complete their formal education often lack motivation to continue with their studies, irrespective of the degree they hold. Many students have this misconception that a higher education brings more competition. However, the employment opportunities are only slightly better when one does not have a college degree. The unemployment rate is two percent higher for those with no high school education than that of those with a bachelor’s degree. Hence, it can be concluded that whether education influences work is a matter of opinion.
People need to decide whether education system helps them or not before taking a final decision. Those who believe that a formal education system helps us understand ourselves and our surroundings should opt for it. On the other hand, those who feel that working without education is more efficient should pursue it.