Importance of education in Ghana
Today, education has become an indispensable aspect of a civilized society. The importance of education is being highlighted in all countries across the world. The developing countries like Ghana are focusing on educating their citizens with the aim of achieving sustainable social and economic development. Let us look into the top reasons why education is considered to be highly important in modern day Ghana.
What is the importance of education? Education is a very important medium for succeeding in life. It is the primary source of knowledge. Not only does education make a person more knowledgeable, aware and informed but also makes him/her more confident about himself/herself. Education further prepares an individual to meet the challenges of life more efficiently.
Importance of education on society
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The main reasons why education is important in a society are as follows:
- Education is an essential tool in every modern society because it has a long term impact on the way a society is built and developed.
- It acts as a platform for imparting skills and knowledge to the entities of the society.
- From a more holistic point of view, education is necessary to make human beings more rational and informed members of society.
- A member of a society who is educated has the potential to contribute more to the society as compared to an uneducated member.
- It also helps a person to contribute and participate in the developments that the society undergoes at different points in time.
- Education is one of the core pillars of human society which play a major role in its progress.
Education in Ghana facts
In the pre-colonial era, education in Ghana was mostly informal. This system enabled the transmission of competencies and knowledge through apprenticeship and oral medium. But as time passed, the government of Ghana as well as the Ghanaian people started realizing the need for formal education- education which will enable the Ghanaian people to become more knowledgeable and competent not only to make a good living but also to become successful and competitive in the global platform. As of 2013, the government of Ghana spent around 26% of its total budget for developing educational systems and facilities in the country.
Benefits of education in Ghana
There are numerous positive facts about education which can benefit a society. The same holds true for Ghana and its people. The government of Ghana focuses on sensitizing the public about education and its importance in the society and has started investing in multiple initiatives to improve education provision in the country. The country understands that encouraging each and every citizen to access their right to education is a basic way through which the social, economic and political conditions of the nation can be transformed for better. So let us look into 10 reasons why education is so important and the main ways in which education can contribute to the development of Ghana and its inhabitants.
1. Education provides knowledge
Education provides one with knowledge and as everyone knows ‘Knowledge is Power’. When a person is educated, he has the power of freedom, choice, information, expression and decision making. Being knowledgeable and empowered is what every Ghanaian needs right now to create a good life for himself and his family.
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2. Education helps to build a better society
Educated people can contribute more efficiently to a society as compared to the uneducated people. This is true for all societies. In a society like Ghana, where it has become a key prerogative to boost the development of the nation, educated people are real requirements. Providing the right to education would mean that the literacy rate of the population would improve and so would the inclusion of females in the educated league. As we all know gender equality is a mandate for a healthy society – educating the females is a priority everywhere.
3. Education helps to build career
Formal education is the primary tool which defines the career path and career choices of an individual. A stable and fulfilling career is important, not only for the individual members of a society but also for the society as a whole. With Ghana lagging behind in terms of education and literacy for decades, it is high time citizens of the country focused on proper education so that they can together build a developed society in the nation. The fact that Ghana has a less than desired level of literate population shows why free education is important in the country.
4. Education helps in earning a living
Earning a living is one of the primary requirements of human beings. Providing education to the people makes them more skilled, knowledgeable and literate enough to compete in the labour markets. The opportunities of earning a living in Ghana are mostly concentrated in the agricultural industry. However, with the growth of the nation, there are multiple avenues opening up, all of which have the scope of absorbing people who have proper formal education.
5. Education helps to make informed choices
Education makes a human being more aware and rational. It gives him the ability to fulfil his/her dreams. Why is the government of Ghana focusing so much on educating its people? The answer is because the country well recognizes the importance of education for all in order to improve their standards of living and to develop them as human resources who can participate in the national as well as global labour markets.
6. Education helps to achieve success
Education is necessary for developing a successful and productive life. Ghanaians need to be aware of the importance of education and need to be encouraged to accept at least primary education because this would not only improve their own selves but also open up newer avenues of success to them. Providing the members of a society with opportunities to succeed and with the avenues of success are mandatory for the well-being of any nation.
7. Education helps us to find our purpose
Education gives one the wings to fly and the courage to pursue one’s dreams. The importance of quality education is reflected in the quality of life of a society's people. In Ghana, the provision of proper education can provide inspiration, empowerment and opportunities to the people. All of these factors are essential for the psychological, social and economic well-being of the people.
8. Education empowers people
In today’s world, making choices in one's professional and personal life becomes more challenging because there are often a number of options available to us. But an educated person is expected to make more rational and correct choices because he has the necessary knowledge.
9. Education is a tool for national development
The presence of educated citizens can help to achieve multidirectional growth and development in the society thereby covering all the economic, socio-cultural, technological and political aspects of regional and national development.
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10. Education helps in personal development
Education imparts knowledge, awareness and proper judgment which make a person more confident and prepared to meet the challenges that life throws at him. Education is not only about literacy, it is about being able to distinguish between right and wrong and being aware of the multiple facets of human life and society. Instead of searching for "importance of basic education pdf", you can simply read through this article which provides the necessary information in a more concise way.
Conclusion
The importance of education cannot be undermined in any country, irrespective of whether it is a developing or a developed one. To promote higher levels of education and literacy in a country both the government and other public entities need to work in close collaboration and cooperation. In Ghana, both the public sector and the private sector entities are working towards promoting education at three levels- basic, secondary and tertiary education.
Source: YEN.com.gh
