Niceinsurer Dsouza for BeyondHeadlines
‘Education is important because you will then automatically become a lifelong learner and the true mark of a vibrant country, truly interested in the development of its people’.
India is a country which looks like it is in a rapid march of development to become an economic world power, however lack of good education could stop that march by 2020 as per estimates. It is well known that investing in education is the single most effective means of reducing poverty, yet our political parties’ only talk and China increases the gap as each day passes.
Education is the lifeline of both the individual and society for a vibrant India by entry of lower middle classes, poor and oppressed into the mainstream of Indian society.
The Indian school system is violating the rights of potential children across the country with direct and indirect governments support for corrupt reasons. Most schools are money oriented and only cater to those who can pay huge amounts, often churning out robots with a mugging system of learning indirectly in place while in school and Google search later in life.
Let’s see what education can do to an individual in brief:
Education enables you to have a broader understanding and perspective of the world, improves knowledge and skills enabling one to develop perhaps unknown things. It also improves potential in new ways. Learning ensures and enhances analysis and evaluation of their personal development.
Why education is important for parents too:
Education is important because it leads to more job opportunities and a wider choice of jobs. Therefore, it is correlated with job satisfaction. Reportedly, college graduates make 100% higher pay than those with high school/ PUC certifications.
1. Brain power every day is becoming far more important than brawn power, even in blue collar jobs. For example, auto mechanics need to read and interpret manuals and computer printouts. To do this they need more schooling than mechanics of the past.
2. Attending college or university helps one perform the day to day tasks of life more effectively, like locating the right doctor, searching for a good investment, finding a new job, or working out family challenges.
3. Education is important because it helps one develop new interests in life that may be entertaining or allow one to enter a new occupation, a new country.
Current Scenario:
Current situation in India in many places is not promising, despite an upsurge in the economy in last 15 years.
Children (under 15 years of age) are not free to actively participate in and benefit from elementary school education. Lack of health care, limited access to quality schooling and cost of participation in education are some of the negative factors.
It is said that in India higher the education share of household expenditure the lower the probability of a child being out of school. Since education and health expenditures compete in household budgetary allocation, the higher the share of health expenditure the greater the likelihood of a child being out of school.
If the household head is illiterate there is a greater chance of a child not being in school. Free and Compulsory Education Law 2010 is a game changer as for the first time in the history of India, all children in 6-14 age group have legal rights to free and compulsory elementary education up to grade VIII.
If the government is aggressive and transparent to ensure all Indians are educated then UID can be used to track implementation of compulsory elementary education Law for children living in poverty.
