What is the point of education?

“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and diligence.” -Abigal Adams

My grandparents went to school, my parents when to school, my nieces and nephews go to school.  Nobody in my family has been denied access to education. I am one of billions of lucky people in this world to be born in a country that insisted I receive an education and attend school.  I am positive that even if it was not the law for children to attend school, my mother would have made sure I got an education.  Unlike billions of parents she didn’t have to make a decision of whether or not I would be able to attend school. I am lucky because I can read, write, solve math problems, and understand how biology works. I fully understand the other side of this. When you cannot read , write, or count you get swindled and are more likely to live in poverty.

There are a lot of statistics about education.  On DoSomething.org it says that an estimated 862 million people in the world are illiterate and up to 115 million children do not attend primary school. That’s a lot of lost potential. These people could go on to cure diseases, farm healthy organic food,  become teachers to millions more, and enjoy the seemingly simple act of reading for fun and growth. We are missing out on so much progress because of a lack of education. Billions of people are pushed into poverty because they have no access to a basic education. THERE IS HOPE! Below are examples of two very different people who are making education a priority.

Nazma of Kolkata is taking tiny steps for her education so she can someday have a home with real walls and a  door that locks for safety. She is the first in her family to receive an education at school and she is determined to take the little steps she needs to get there.  Right now she lives on the streets.  She bathes fully clothed in the dark so she is not harassed. She is a SURVIVOR!  “An uneducated person goes one way, an educated person goes in another. I am going in another.”- Nazma.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHZ03pq95fA

Vidur Chopra calls on education leaders to be proactive on making sure everyone has access to education . “It is important that we understand that young people have the skills, have the motivation to be able make a difference in their lives and the lives of their communities, but at the same time it’s equally important that we provide them with the platform and the programs that help them, that empower them“- Vidur Chopra. He spent a summer teaching at a Ethiopian refugee camp. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ae425u1Emo

Education is and always has been a cure for poverty, violence, famine, and apathy. Like the proverb says “Give a person a fish and feed them for a day, teach a person to fish and they will have food for a lifetime.”  We must continue to make access to education a priority for everyone in every part of the world so they can be their own heroes and solve their own problems. We must teach people to care for themselves.  We must encourage critical thinking and basic skills. We can watch people suffer or we can be proactive. With my education I share resources, teach self defense, vote in elections, sign petitions, and encourage learning.

What Are YOU Giving The World With YOUR Education?

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