Why Education is Important

While there are many factors that play a critical role in determining the quality of life an individual will have, education is probably the most important. Although broadly defined, education can be understood as a type of learning in which the skills, habits, and knowledge needed to thrive in a given society are transferred from one generation to the next. Because attaining a quality education plays such a primary role in preparing children to become productive and positive members of society, it is critically important that primacy be placed upon ensuring that they are educated. Education is a particularly critical issue for the children of Africa, especially since many of the countries within its borders do not possess the resources necessary to ensure that its young people attain the information they need to become personally and professionally successful. By learning more about why education is important for the children of Africa, individuals who are interested in ensuring that its citizens become educated can gain the knowledge necessary to provide solutions for the current educational crisis.

To better understand why education is so important for the children of Africa, it is important to grasp the continent’s educational history. Originally, education in Africa was a mechanism designed to prepare local adolescents to work within their own societies. Emphasis was thus not placed on equipping students with the knowledge necessary to develop a personal and professional life outside of Africa. In some regions of Africa, the school system was comprised of older groups of people who taught rituals that would enable youth to thrive in adulthood. In other regions, education was comprised of things such as artistic performances, games, ceremonies, festivals, singing, dancing, and drawing. Oftentimes, girls and boys learned separately to help them process the concept of sex roles so they would be prepared to operate according to societal rules regarding gender. In previous eras, each member of the African community played a role in contributing to the child’s educational upbringing. In many cases, the apex of the child’s educational experience was the rites of passage ceremony that marked the transition from childhood to adulthood.

While the history of education in Africa is marked by ingenuity and efficacy, the contemporary situation reveals that much change is needed to help prepare youth to lead successful lives. Unfortunately, participation in educational activities is very low in several African countries. Oftentimes, schools do not have the basic facilities necessary to educate students. Despite the fact that children often have a difficult time attaining a quality education in Africa, it is still a critically important resource for them to attain. This is the case for many reasons, including the fact that it is often the only resource they can use to overcome abject poverty. As many of these children know, learning to write, read and perform basic arithmetic functions is their only way to gain access to reputable, well-paying jobs once they grow older.

In addition to playing a primary role in helping children attain socioeconomic security and the sense of self-worth that results from it, educating Africa’s children enables them to combat negative aspects of life such as disease. By gaining basic information about things such as personal hygiene and how to eat a healthy meal, educational systems in Africa can prepare its children to walk in great wellness and thus make more positive contributions to the societies in which they live.

In recognizing the importance of educating Africa’s children, individuals who wish to make a positive contribution to such efforts should note that donations can be of great assistance. By providing financial assistance to organizations that are in the process of building schools in Africa, people can play a role in positively impacting the lives of children who will use their education to make great contributions to both their own societies and the world at large.