The Importance of Education in Nation-Building
Education is normally the acquiring of knowledge as well as the skills that are
accepted by a given society. On the other hand, nation-building is the implementation
of processes that are geared towards recomposing the nation’s institutions so that they
can reflect the wishes, needs and aspirations of the wider society.
Since education is the pathway to any nation-building enterprise, it provides the
following goodies to nation-building:
Firstly, education creates an enlightened society. This is a crucial prerequisite to
nation--building because the more a people become enlightened the more they would
refrain from doing practices that will endanger the nation-building efforts. For example,
educated elites will always tend to be responsive and responsible citizens. By this I
mean, they obey state laws and properties. Without this, no nation-building efforts will
be set in earnest.
Secondly, nation-building requires a ‘meritocratic’ bureaucracy in order to make the
state’s institutions effective. Therefore, with education, the country will have the best
human resources that are competent enough to carry the day-to-day affairs of the
state. Most states collapse as a result of a low level of education because the human
resource is so weak that it is incapable of filling state institutions. But with education,
this problem is averted.
Thirdly, nation-building requires a democratic society that allows the contribution of all,
rich or poor. With education, there will always be an increase in democratic
participation. This participation will in turn enhance nation-building initiative because
the participation of all the citizens is counted in nation-building.
Fourthly, education is very crucial in the formation of cross-cutting cleavages
that embrace diversity. Accepting differences therefore is very important to nation
building because until we accept our differences and come together to build the nation,
progress will never be made. With education, this fear is allayed.
Fifthly, education creates a large middle-class (professionals, teachers, doctors,
technicians etc).This class is very important to nation-building because they provide
the necessary expertise that is needed to building a nation. This is the more reason
why emphasis has been laid on education because an educated society is always a
strong society, and a society that is set for development.
Overall therefore, education correlates with nation-build. Both of them complement
each other. A nation cannot be built without education. With education, professionals
are nurtured that will enhance nation-building. In the same way, education leads to
efficient usage of a nation’s resources which in turn is very crucial to nation-building
because without efficient usage of a nation’s resources, nation-building will not be
successful. This is evident in the developed nations. To continue to build their nations,
they educate their citizens, because education shapes the attitudes and behaviors and
values of citizens. These are qualities that are needed for nation-building and it is only
education that will bring those mechanics.
An integral approach to education automatically supports ongoing growth of learners
and teachers over the entire span of development. Every parent is firstly a teacher, so
character education essentially begins at home. According to Mahatma Gandhi,
"Knowledge without character is a powerful evil." Character is based on human values.
It’s a powerful tool that influences society. Integral parenting addresses the body,
mind, soul and spirit of every child and moulds the child’s character for long-term
growth and development. Character building is further enhanced from knowledge
gained from Schools, Colleges, Universities and other centres of learning like
Polytechnics, Teachers Training Institutes and other Private Educational Providers.
Let us view Education in a larger perspective as integral for growth and development.
Education is the best development tool for socio-economic growth. That is why the old
Chinese proverb “Teach someone how to fish”. In economics they call it "merit good".
It means not only to educate people; its benefit goes beyond that – crime reduction,
unemployment reduction, more revenue, higher GDP and many other benefits.
Today, we are living in the world which encompasses knowledge. Education is crucial
– it is not machines, land, capital but human brain which is the most important asset to
any family, community and nation. We have to safeguard it and develop it for
socioeconomic development. The quality of education meant growth and development
of intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and social. Research and creativity and innovation
are very important for the future development. Are we achieving these through our
Education?
The government, Education providers and the parents are responsible for this
socio-economic development and growth. We are called to equip our children not for
jobs but for life. The family and educational institutions should be the Resource Centre
as continued school for life for our children.
Some of the points of Father General of Jesuits who are known globally for Higher
Education are: “We need to understand who are our students, what they will become,
how will they live, what will they contribute, how will they construct a humane and
sustainable world, how will they respond to the world of the poor, the broken world of
suffering. University should become a social project.”
Schools/Colleges run like businesses?
Do the heads of the educational Institutions consider themselves to be CEOs to run
their schools/ colleges/ universities business with great efficiency with the flair of a
sound business run profitably satisfying all the statutory compliances, rules and
regulations? Or do they realise that they are put there for a more serious business –
that is to inculcate serious values which effect human existence along with the
required standard.
We all know that achieving high standard sets a benchmark – however, there is more
to life than achieving benchmarks.
These are places where students are taught to respond to their calling in life: be it
mother, wife, husband, father or even to single life. They learn how to always stand
tall, uphold strong value systems and strengthen their character.
Educational institutions should be places where students are taught to care for one
another in normal and challenging environments. They should learn what it takes to
succeed in life and lose with grace if they must. Core values and attitudes must be the
focus and centre of our Educational Planning Board.
The duty of any responsible government is to provide the resources and support for
achieving this objective. The government should not be a stumbling block in interfering
in the guise of exercising their power. Educational policies of the governments may be
laudable but the implementation, review and accountability are the key and critical
factors. The greatest disservice any government can do to its people is unnecessary
interference and control when yeoman service is being done by the education
providers to prepare the children to meet the challenges of life.
Paul Wellstone, a former US Senate once said that, “Education and Democracy have
the same goal; the fullest possible development of human capabilities.” Education is a
primary right for every individual. It is the most important foundation or building block,
which paves the future road-map for a person. Education can truly make or break an
individual, because it builds and develops a person’s belief, ideologies and values.
Education gives the ability to think with reason, pursue dreams and aspirations in life
and live a respectable life in the society. Education gives us a definite path to follow, to
lead our lives by principles and gives us the freedom of expression. It frees our minds
from the prejudices and motivates it to think with logic and reason. It is essential for the
overall development of the human mind and brain. The literacy rate of a country
determines its prosperity and economic health.
The benefits of education are numerous, but a few points are highlighted below, which
shows how education helps in human development from different aspects – personal,
social, economic and spiritual.
Overcome social prejudices:
This is probably the most important benefit of education. Social evils and belief can really
hold back the growth and development of a society, and a country. So, to overcome this
and understand and explain things with logic and reasoning, educated minds and very
essential. One enlightened mind can lit up a thousand more. Education, used in the
proper way also helps to reduce crime and restore law and order.
Nurture talent and pursue dreams:
Every human has dreams and aspirations. So, education is a medium to pursue and
fulfill them. It increases the knowledge of a person in different fields of studies. It helps
to determine a path to follow and express your talent to the world.
Enhance creativity and imagination:
Education opens up new ways and ideas to ponder. It cultivates a young mind to think
out-of-the-box and explore different things in life. Education also helps to know about
things and stay healthy, fit and follow a productive lifestyle.
Contribute to a bigger growth:
Education is a way of academic excellence and paves the path for economic growth of
the country. Research and development in sectors like technology, medicine, and
others, breakthrough innovation and progressive mindset – all of this are fruits of
education, which takes a nation and its people forward. Educated people contribute
towards advancement in every sector.
Knowledge, wisdom and exposure:
Education opens up every channel of knowledge and wisdom. It exposes us to a whole
new world of information, invent new things and know how we can make our
surroundings a better place to live and out our lives to a greater, and better use.
As Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use
to change the world.” When the world is busy getting equipped with deadly weapons
and machinery, it is very important to understand that education is the real asset that
can develop an individual as well as a nation. People and leaders across the world
should join hands to make education, not only a fundamental right for all, but also the
guiding light, which can take mankind ahead through any phase of darkness.
nterview: The role of education in the future of humanity
Feb 18, 2016 | Demography
In the 21st century the major global divide runs between knowledge societies and
those where access to education is hampered or denied, say population experts
Reiner Klingholz and Wolfgang Lutz in a new book. In an interview
with campus.de they explain what this means.
Education empowers us to look beyond our own horizon and to consciously
choose our lifestyle. Better qualified people are more involved in political
decision making processes and foster democratization – this is what your book
says. Does this mean in reverse that societies with limited education
opportunities are, as a rule, less democratic?
Rainer Klingholz: From antiquity to medieval times, the uneducated masses were
dominated by despotic elites. Wherever the first seeds of democracy were observed,
for example in ancient Greece or Florence during the Renaissance, at least a certain
part of the male population could write and read. They were in a better position to see
what was going on and they strived for more influence in decision making. The more
educated the population became, the more chance there was for democracy. In the
modern world, we see a clear statistical association between the education of broad
segments of society and a well-functioning democracy, although education is a
precondition and not always a guarantee.
There are direct and indirect reasons why education is good for democracy. Education
directly fosters the ability to obtain information, express one’s own opinions, engage
oneself in discussions and look for compromise, all prerequisites for a lively
democracy. Education works indirectly through economic development as it fosters
prosperity, and such societies are in a better position to afford the ‘luxury’ of
democracy. Even autocratically governed countries, such as Singapore and China,
which have invested massively in education and achieved rapid economic growth, can
also be seen as moving in the direction of democracy in a long term.
You say that in a context of global competition countries with low educational
standards have lower chances to succeed. Could these countries get out of
misery by their own strength or does this problem require a global solution?
Wolfgang Lutz: Looking back in history, we see that many countries have made it
without outside assistance. In our book we describe the example of Finland, which
was one of the poorest regions of Europe before 1900 and later due to massive
educational efforts became not only a winner of PISA test but also one of the most
innovative industrial countries. Or, let’s look at Mauritius, which as recently as the
1960s presented a textbook example of a country trapped in the vicious cycle of
poverty, population growth, and destruction of the environment. Today, thanks to an
early boost in education that was followed by fertility decline and economic growth, it is
the most successful country in Africa. Similarly, the rise of the “Asian Tigers” has been
induced by massive investment of their own modest means into basic education of the
broad layers of population.
In many other countries, mostly in Africa and in South and West Asia, this did not
happen. As a consequence, there is still widespread poverty and birth rates have
remained high, causing continued rapid population growth and difficulties in finding
solutions for existing problems. Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that
dissatisfaction results in conflicts which in turn trigger streams of refugees. There are
of cause many other reasons for this but lack of education is a root cause.
The most important factor behind decreasing fertility rates is female education. If
women complete at least secondary school, they have substantially fewer children,
they and their offspring are much healthier, and they become more independent from
their husbands, as they are better informed and can obtain their own income.
Education is the best and most effective development aid. In order to make this
happen, the least developed countries need urgent help from outside. The world
cannot wait decades for these countries to later possibly make it on their own. By that
time, their population may have multiplied by a factor of 3-5, resulting in higher poverty
and possible conflicts. There is good reason why there has been compulsory
education and a right to education for all children until the age of 16 for a long time in
all developed countries. This must apply equally to all children of the world.
Just a small portion of total development aid expenditures goes into education.
Have we still not recognized the problem?
Reiner Klingholz: We have, on paper. The new Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) of the United Nations postulate exactly this. The problem is that these
ambitious education goals are not being implemented. Only 2 to 4 percent of global
development aid goes into basic education; this makes it impossible for all children to
complete primary school and even less secondary school. Most of the development
money goes into big infrastructure projects that satisfy local potentates and promote
corruption and exports from the donor countries. Building of a rural school, or
education of teachers, in Mali or Pakistan are not attractive in that sense. Since
educational efforts only become noticeable in 10-20 years, it is much more attractive
for a current president to build a new highway. Despite or perhaps because of this, we
point out that investment in basic education is the most important investment for
enhancing the ability of people and countries to help themselves and it therefore
should become an absolute priority in international development.
In some Arab or African countries there is a youth bulge without adequate
occupation or place in the society. What are the long-term consequences of
this?
Wolfgang Lutz: The main problem of these countries is that the population grows
faster than opportunities are being created, especially job opportunities. Many young
people do not see prospects for their lives and at the same time they see through TV
or internet that elsewhere people are much better off. Under such conditions, young
men in particular have a tendency to become radicalized, or fall victim to religious
zealots, who tell that people of different religions are the enemies. This mixture leads
to a clash between education cultures that we describe in the book
Who or what impedes education in countries like Pakistan, Egypt, or in Western
Africa?
Rainer Klingholz: Until the middle of 20th century, most of those countries were pawns
in the hands of colonial powers that did not invest in broad education. They were afraid
of a population empowered through mass education. In the majority of these countries
with independence, authoritarian governments came to power who pursued the same
goal: they wanted to stay in power surrounded by small educated elites and had no
intention of empowering their citizens through education. Fortunately, in many of the
countries the situation has improved in recent years and younger generations are now
better educated than the older ones. But there is a real threat from fundamentalist
religious or terroristic groups, such as IS or Boko Haram, that actively fight against
modern education. They want to stop the teaching of natural sciences and instead
have boys memorize the holy scriptures and exclude the girls from education
altogether
What does Martin Luther have to do with your book?
Wolfgang Lutz: Martin Luther was the first person in history who actively and
successfully fought for the basic education of all, including girls and the poorest
farmers. He wanted every individual to find his/her own way to salvation through being
able to read the Bible. To achieve this, Luther had to translate the Bible into a
language that people understood. But most of all, he had to do something to enable all
people to read themselves. This focus on universal literacy was new in world history
and went further than e.g. the rather elitist humanists had gone.
Interestingly, we see today that the protestant countries that first implemented those
educational reforms in the course of the next decades and centuries became more
economically successful as a consequence. The rise of the Netherlands and Great
Britain, the industrial revolution, and the later success of the United States, the
improvement of living conditions and declining death rates—all this had as a
necessary precondition the education of broad segments of the population that
ultimately goes back to the Reformation. Luther himself did not have long-term social
and economic consequences in mind. Coming from a medieval culture he personally
would have been probably unsettled by the following developments towards
modernity.
In your book “Who survives?” you describe different scenarios of the future of
humanity to the end of the 21st century depending on investments in education
in the near future. Can we only survive current and future crises if we indeed
prioritize education?
Rainer Klingholz: At the beginning of the 21st century, humanity faces the biggest
challenges in its history. It has to abolish poverty, stop population growth, combat
climate change, and sustain peace in a world which at the moment may seem to be
falling apart. These problems require the best possible brain power and the
empowerment through education of everybody. The alternatives to education are high
population growth in the poor countries where uneducated women have much higher
birth rates together with many other development problems, which likely result in
chaos and possibly conflict.
Wolfgang Lutz: The problem is that education needs time to show its positive effects.
We have to wait until children come out of school and become active adults. Education
is hence not a quick solution to any of the urgent problems that fill today’s
newspapers. But in a long run, there are no alternatives to universal education.