Essay on Importance of Education for Students

500 words essay on importance of education.

To say Education is important is an understatement. Education is a weapon to improve one’s life. It is probably the most important tool to change one’s life. Education for a child begins at home. It is a lifelong process that ends with death. Education certainly determines the quality of an individual’s life. Education improves one’s knowledge, skills and develops the personality and attitude. Most noteworthy, Education affects the chances of employment for people. A highly educated individual is probably very likely to get a good job. In this essay on importance of education, we will tell you about the value of education in life and society.

essay on importance of education

Importance of Education in Life

First of all, Education teaches the ability to read and write. Reading and writing is the first step in Education. Most information is done by writing. Hence, the lack of writing skill means missing out on a lot of information. Consequently, Education makes people literate.

Above all, Education is extremely important for employment. It certainly is a great opportunity to make a decent living. This is due to the skills of a high paying job that Education provides. Uneducated people are probably at a huge disadvantage when it comes to jobs. It seems like many poor people improve their lives with the help of Education.

importance of education in youth essay

Better Communication is yet another role in Education. Education improves and refines the speech of a person. Furthermore, individuals also improve other means of communication with Education.

Education makes an individual a better user of technology. Education certainly provides the technical skills necessary for using technology . Hence, without Education, it would probably be difficult to handle modern machines.

People become more mature with the help of Education. Sophistication enters the life of educated people. Above all, Education teaches the value of discipline to individuals. Educated people also realize the value of time much more. To educated people, time is equal to money.

Finally, Educations enables individuals to express their views efficiently. Educated individuals can explain their opinions in a clear manner. Hence, educated people are quite likely to convince people to their point of view.

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Importance of Education in Society

First of all, Education helps in spreading knowledge in society. This is perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of Education. There is a quick propagation of knowledge in an educated society. Furthermore, there is a transfer of knowledge from generation to another by Education.

Education helps in the development and innovation of technology. Most noteworthy, the more the education, the more technology will spread. Important developments in war equipment, medicine , computers, take place due to Education.

Education is a ray of light in the darkness. It certainly is a hope for a good life. Education is a basic right of every Human on this Planet. To deny this right is evil. Uneducated youth is the worst thing for Humanity. Above all, the governments of all countries must ensure to spread Education.

FAQs on Essay on Importance of Education

Q.1 How Education helps in Employment?

A.1 Education helps in Employment by providing necessary skills. These skills are important for doing a high paying job.

Q.2 Mention one way in Education helps a society?

A.2 Education helps society by spreading knowledge. This certainly is one excellent contribution to Education.

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Home  /  News  /  Why Is Education Important? The Power Of An Educated Society

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Why Is Education Important? The Power Of An Educated Society

Looking for an answer to the question of why is education important? We address this query with a focus on how education can transform society through the way we interact with our environment. 

Whether you are a student, a parent, or someone who values educational attainment, you may be wondering how education can provide quality life to a society beyond the obvious answer of acquiring knowledge and economic growth. Continue reading as we discuss the importance of education not just for individuals but for society as a whole. 

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Harness the power of education to build a more sustainable modern society with a degree from  Unity Environmental University .

How Education Is Power: The Importance Of Education In Society

Why is education so important? Nelson Mandela famously said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” An educated society is better equipped to tackle the challenges that face modern America, including:

  • Climate change
  • Social justice
  • Economic inequality

Education is not just about learning to read and do math operations. Of course, gaining knowledge and practical skills is part of it, but education is also about values and critical thinking. It’s about finding our place in society in a meaningful way. 

Environmental Stewardship

A  study from 2022 found that people who belong to an environmental stewardship organization, such as the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, are likely to have a higher education level than those who do not. This suggests that quality education can foster a sense of responsibility towards the environment.

With the effects of climate change becoming increasingly alarming, this particular importance of education is vital to the health, safety, and longevity of our society. Higher learning institutions can further encourage environmental stewardship by adopting a  framework of sustainability science .

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The Economic Benefits Of Education

Higher education can lead to better job opportunities and higher income. On average, a  person with a bachelor’s degree will make $765,000 more  in their lifetime than someone with no degree. Even with the rising costs of tuition, investment in higher education pays off in the long run. In 2020, the return on investment (ROI) for a college degree was estimated to be  13.5% to 35.9% . 

Green jobs  like environmental science technicians and solar panel installers  have high demand projections for the next decade. Therefore, degrees that will prepare you for one of these careers will likely yield a high ROI. And, many of these jobs only require an  associate’s degree or certificate , which means lower overall education costs. 

Unity  helps students maximize their ROI with real-world experience in the field as an integral part of every degree program. 

10 Reasons Why School Is Important

Education is not just an individual pursuit but also a societal one.  In compiling these reasons, we focused on the question, “How does education benefit society?” Overall, higher education has the power to transform:

  • Individuals’ sense of self
  • Interpersonal relationships
  • Social communities
  • Professional communities

Cognitive Development

Neuroscience research  has proven that the brain is a muscle that can retain its neuroplasticity throughout life. However, like other muscles, it must receive continual exercise to remain strong. Higher education allows people of any age to improve their higher-level cognitive abilities like problem-solving and decision-making. This can make many parts of life feel more manageable and help society run smoothly. 

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is key to workplace success.  Studies  show that people with emotional intelligence exhibit more:

  • Self-awareness
  • Willingness to try new things
  • Innovative thinking
  • Active listening
  • Collaboration skills
  • Problem-solving abilities

By attending higher education institutions that value these soft skills, students can improve their emotional intelligence as part of their career development in college.

Technological Literacy

Many careers in today’s job market use advanced technology. To prepare for these jobs, young people likely won’t have access to these technologies to practice on their own. That’s part of why so many STEM career paths require degrees. It’s essential to gain technical knowledge and skills through a certified program to safely use certain technologies. And, educated scientists are  more likely to make new technological discoveries .

Cultural Awareness

Education exposes individuals to different cultures and perspectives. Being around people who are different has the powerful ability to foster acceptance. Acceptance benefits society as a whole. It increases innovation and empathy. 

College also gives students an opportunity to practice feeling comfortable in situations where there are people of different races, genders, sexualities, and abilities. Students can gain an understanding of how to act respectfully among different types of people, which is an important skill for the workplace. This will only become more vital as our world continues to become more globalized.

Ethical and Moral Development

Another reason why school is important is that it promotes ethical and moral development. Many schools require students to take an ethics course in their general education curriculum. However, schools can also encourage character development throughout their programs by using effective pedagogical strategies including:

  • Class debates and discussions
  • Historical case studies
  • Group projects

Unity’s distance learning programs  include an ethical decision-making class in our core curriculum. 

Communication Skills

Effective written and verbal communication skills are key for personal and professional success. Higher education programs usually include at least one communication course in their general education requirements. Often the focus in these classes is on writing skills, but students can also use college as an opportunity to hone their presentation and public speaking skills. Courses such as  Multimedia Communication for Environmental Professionals  provide many opportunities for this. 

Civic Engagement

According to a  Gallup survey , people with higher education degrees are:

  • More likely to participate in civic activities such as voting and volunteering
  • Less likely to commit crimes
  • More likely to get involved in their local communities

All these individual acts add up to make a big difference in society. An educated electorate is less likely to be swayed by unethical politicians and, instead, make choices that benefit themselves and their community. Because they are more involved, they are also more likely to hold elected officials accountable.

Financial Stability

The right degree can significantly expand your career opportunities and improve your long-term earning potential. Not all degrees provide the same level of financial stability, so it’s important to research expected salary offers after graduation and job demand outlook predictions for your desired field. Consider the return on investment for a degree from an affordable private school such as  Unity Environmental University .

Environmental Awareness

We have already discussed why education is important for environmental stewardship. Education can also lead to better environmental practices in the business world. By building empathy through character education and ethics courses, institutions can train future business leaders to emphasize human rights and sustainability over profits. All types and sizes of businesses can incorporate sustainable practices, but awareness of the issues and solutions is the first step.

Lifelong Learning

The reasons why education is important discussed so far focus on institutional education. However, education can happen anywhere. Attending a university that values all kinds of learning will set students up with the foundation to become lifelong learners.  Research  demonstrates that lifelong learners tend to be healthier and more fulfilled throughout their lives. When societies emphasize the importance of education, they can boost their overall prosperity.

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The Role Of Unity Environmental University In Society

Environmentally conscious education is extremely valuable and should be accessible to all.   Unity Environmental University  offers tuition prices that are comparable to public universities, and financial aid is available to those who qualify. Courses last five weeks so that students can focus on only one class at a time. This ensures all learners are set up for academic success. 

Unity believes in supporting students holistically to maximize the power of education. This includes mental health services,  experiential learning opportunities , and  job placement assistance . Students in our  hybrid programs  can take classes at several field stations throughout Maine and enjoy the beautiful nature surrounding the campus for outdoor recreation.

Sustainable Initiatives

Some highlights from Unity Environmental University’s many sustainable initiatives:

  • All programs include at least one sustainability learning outcome
  • All research courses are focused on sustainability research
  • Reduced building energy use by 25% across campus
  • 100% of food waste is recycled into energy 
  • Campus features a  net-zero LEED Platinum-certified classroom/office building

While many schools value sustainability, Unity stands out because  everything  we do is about sustainability. We also recognize our responsibility to model how a sustainable business can operate in a manner that’s fiscally viable and socially responsible.

Make An Impact At Unity Environmental University

While the phrase ‘education is power’ may sound cliche, it is also resoundingly true. Higher education has the power to transform individuals and societies. Unity Environmental University understands its power to make a positive impact on the world. That’s why we were the first university to divest from fossil fuels. 

This year, we celebrated our  largest incoming class ever , showing that students want an education system that aligns with their values. In addition to our commitment to sustainability, we offer flexibility to students with start dates all year round for our  online degree programs .

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Marilyn Price-Mitchell Ph.D.

What Is Education? Insights from the World's Greatest Minds

Forty thought-provoking quotes about education..

Posted May 12, 2014 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

As we seek to refine and reform today’s system of education , we would do well to ask, “What is education?” Our answers may provide insights that get to the heart of what matters for 21st century children and adults alike.

It is important to step back from divisive debates on grades, standardized testing, and teacher evaluation—and really look at the meaning of education. So I decided to do just that—to research the answer to this straightforward, yet complex question.

Looking for wisdom from some of the greatest philosophers, poets, educators, historians, theologians, politicians, and world leaders, I found answers that should not only exist in our history books, but also remain at the core of current education dialogue.

In my work as a developmental psychologist, I constantly struggle to balance the goals of formal education with the goals of raising healthy, happy children who grow to become contributing members of families and society. Along with academic skills, the educational journey from kindergarten through college is a time when young people develop many interconnected abilities.

As you read through the following quotes, you’ll discover common threads that unite the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical aspects of education. For me, good education facilitates the development of an internal compass that guides us through life.

Which quotes resonate most with you? What images of education come to your mind? How can we best integrate the wisdom of the ages to address today’s most pressing education challenges?

If you are a middle or high school teacher, I invite you to have your students write an essay entitled, “What is Education?” After reviewing the famous quotes below and the images they evoke, ask students to develop their very own quote that answers this question. With their unique quote highlighted at the top of their essay, ask them to write about what helps or hinders them from getting the kind of education they seek. I’d love to publish some student quotes, essays, and images in future articles, so please contact me if students are willing to share!

What Is Education? Answers from 5th Century BC to the 21 st Century

  • The principle goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done. — Jean Piaget, 1896-1980, Swiss developmental psychologist, philosopher
  • An education isn't how much you have committed to memory , or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you know and what you don't. — Anatole France, 1844-1924, French poet, novelist
  • Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. — Nelson Mandela, 1918-2013, South African President, philanthropist
  • The object of education is to teach us to love beauty. — Plato, 424-348 BC, philosopher mathematician
  • The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education — Martin Luther King, Jr., 1929-1968, pastor, activist, humanitarian
  • Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school. Albert Einstein, 1879-1955, physicist
  • It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. — Aristotle, 384-322 BC, Greek philosopher, scientist
  • Education is the power to think clearly, the power to act well in the world’s work, and the power to appreciate life. — Brigham Young, 1801-1877, religious leader
  • Real education should educate us out of self into something far finer – into a selflessness which links us with all humanity. — Nancy Astor, 1879-1964, American-born English politician and socialite
  • Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. — William Butler Yeats, 1865-1939, Irish poet
  • Education is freedom . — Paulo Freire, 1921-1997, Brazilian educator, philosopher
  • Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself. — John Dewey, 1859-1952, philosopher, psychologist, education reformer
  • Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom. — George Washington Carver, 1864-1943, scientist, botanist, educator
  • Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught. — Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900, Irish writer, poet
  • The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows. — Sydney J. Harris, 1917-1986, journalist
  • Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one. — Malcolm Forbes, 1919-1990, publisher, politician
  • No one has yet realized the wealth of sympathy, the kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure. — Emma Goldman, 1869 – 1940, political activist, writer
  • Much education today is monumentally ineffective. All too often we are giving young people cut flowers when we should be teaching them to grow their own plants. — John W. Gardner, 1912-2002, Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare under President Lyndon Johnson
  • Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another. — Gilbert K. Chesterton, 1874-1936, English writer, theologian, poet, philosopher
  • Education is the movement from darkness to light. — Allan Bloom, 1930-1992, philosopher, classicist, and academician
  • Education is learning what you didn't even know you didn't know. -- Daniel J. Boorstin, 1914-2004, historian, professor, attorney
  • The aim of education is the knowledge, not of facts, but of values. — William S. Burroughs, 1914-1997, novelist, essayist, painter
  • The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives. -- Robert M. Hutchins, 1899-1977, educational philosopher
  • Education is all a matter of building bridges. — Ralph Ellison, 1914-1994, novelist, literary critic, scholar
  • What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the soul. — Joseph Addison, 1672-1719, English essayist, poet, playwright, politician
  • Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. — Malcolm X, 1925-1965, minister and human rights activist
  • Education is the key to success in life, and teachers make a lasting impact in the lives of their students. — Solomon Ortiz, 1937-, former U.S. Representative-TX
  • The very spring and root of honesty and virtue lie in good education. — Plutarch, 46-120AD, Greek historian, biographer, essayist
  • Education is a shared commitment between dedicated teachers, motivated students and enthusiastic parents with high expectations. — Bob Beauprez, 1948-, former member of U.S. House of Representatives-CO
  • The most influential of all educational factors is the conversation in a child’s home. — William Temple, 1881-1944, English bishop, teacher
  • Education is the leading of human souls to what is best, and making what is best out of them. — John Ruskin, 1819-1900, English writer, art critic, philanthropist
  • Education levels the playing field, allowing everyone to compete. — Joyce Meyer, 1943-, Christian author and speaker
  • Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten. — B.F. Skinner , 1904-1990, psychologist, behaviorist, social philosopher
  • The great end of education is to discipline rather than to furnish the mind; to train it to the use of its own powers rather than to fill it with the accumulation of others. — Tyron Edwards, 1809-1894, theologian
  • Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength of the nation. — John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963, 35 th President of the United States
  • Education is like a lantern which lights your way in a dark alley. — Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, 1918-2004, President of the United Arab Emirates for 33 years
  • When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts. — Dalai Lama, spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism
  • Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or self-confidence . — Robert Frost, 1874-1963, poet
  • The secret in education lies in respecting the student. — Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803-1882, essayist, lecturer, and poet
  • My mother said I must always be intolerant of ignorance, but understanding of illiteracy. That some people, unable to go to school, were more educated and more intelligent than college professors. — Maya Angelou, 1928-, author, poet

©2014 Marilyn Price-Mitchell. All rights reserved. Please contact for permission to reprint.

Marilyn Price-Mitchell Ph.D.

Marilyn Price-Mitchell, Ph.D., is an Institute for Social Innovation Fellow at Fielding Graduate University and author of Tomorrow’s Change Makers.

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Why education is the key to development

importance of education in youth essay

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importance of education in youth essay

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Education is a human right. And, like other human rights, it cannot be taken for granted. Across the world,  59 million children and 65 million adolescents are out of school . More than 120 million children do not complete primary education.

Behind these figures there are children and youth being denied not only a right, but opportunities: a fair chance to get a decent job, to escape poverty, to support their families, and to develop their communities. This year, decision-makers will set the priorities for global development for the next 15 years. They should make sure to place education high on the list.

The deadline for the Millennium Development Goals is fast approaching. We have a responsibility to make sure we fulfill the promise we made at the beginning of the millennium: to ensure that boys and girls everywhere complete a full course of primary schooling.

The challenge is daunting. Many of those who remain out of school are the hardest to reach, as they live in countries that are held back by conflict, disaster, and epidemics. And the last push is unlikely to be accompanied by the double-digit economic growth in some developing economies that makes it easier to expand opportunities.

Nevertheless, we can succeed. Over the last 15 years, governments and their partners have shown that political will and concerted efforts can deliver tremendous results – including halving the number of children and adolescents who are out of school. Moreover, most countries are closing in on gender parity at the primary level. Now is the time to redouble our efforts to finish what we started.

But we must not stop with primary education. In today’s knowledge-driven economies, access to quality education and the chances for development are two sides of the same coin. That is why we must also set targets for secondary education, while improving quality and learning outcomes at all levels. That is what the  Sustainable Development Goal  on education, which world leaders will adopt this year, aims to do.

Addressing the fact that an estimated 250 million children worldwide are not learning the basic skills they need to enter the labor market is more than a moral obligation. It amounts to an investment in sustainable growth and prosperity. For both countries and individuals, there is a direct and indisputable link between access to quality education and economic and social development.

Likewise, ensuring that girls are not kept at home when they reach puberty, but are allowed to complete education on the same footing as their male counterparts, is not just altruism; it is sound economics. Communities and countries that succeed in achieving gender parity in education will reap substantial benefits relating to health, equality, and job creation.

All countries, regardless of their national wealth, stand to gain from more and better education. According to a recent  OECD report , providing every child with access to education and the skills needed to participate fully in society would boost GDP by an average 28% per year in lower-income countries and 16% per year in high-income countries for the next 80 years.

Today’s students need “twenty-first-century skills,” like critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and digital literacy. Learners of all ages need to become familiar with new technologies and cope with rapidly changing workplaces.

According to the International Labour Organization, an additional 280 million jobs will be needed by 2019. It is vital for policymakers to ensure that the right frameworks and incentives are established so that those jobs can be created and filled. Robust education systems – underpinned by qualified, professionally trained, motivated, and well-supported teachers – will be the cornerstone of this effort.

Governments should work with parent and teacher associations, as well as the private sector and civil-society organizations, to find the best and most constructive ways to improve the quality of education. Innovation has to be harnessed, and new partnerships must be forged.

Of course, this will cost money. According to UNESCO, in order to meet our basic education targets by 2030, we must close an external annual financing gap of about $22 billion. But we have the resources necessary to deliver. What is lacking is the political will to make the needed investments.

This is the challenge that inspired Norway to  invite world leaders  to Oslo for a  Summit on Education for Development ,  where we can develop strategies for mobilizing political support for increasing financing for education. For the first time in history, we are in the unique position to provide education opportunities for all, if only we pull together. We cannot miss this critical opportunity.

To be sure, the responsibility for providing citizens with a quality education rests, first and foremost, with national governments. Aid cannot replace domestic-resource mobilization. But donor countries also have an important role to play, especially in supporting least-developed countries. We must reverse the recent downward trend in development assistance for education, and leverage our assistance to attract investments from various other sources. For our part, we are in the process of doubling Norway’s financial contribution to education for development in the period 2013-2017.

Together, we need to intensify efforts to bring the poorest and hardest to reach children into the education system. Education is a right for everyone. It is a right for girls, just as it is for boys. It is a right for disabled children, just as it is for everyone else. It is a right for the 37 million out-of-school children and youth in countries affected by crises and conflicts. Education is a right regardless of where you are born and where you grow up. It is time to ensure that the right is upheld.

This article is published in collaboration with Project Syndicate . Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum.

To keep up with the Agenda  subscribe to our weekly newsletter .

Author: Erna Solberg is Prime Minister of Norway. Børge Brende is Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Image: Students attend a class at the Oxford International College in Changzhou. REUTERS/Aly Song. 

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Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth Logo

Youth empowerment, education, employment key to future development

“The world now has the largest generation of young people in history. I place great hope in their power to shape our future,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told leaders and dignitaries at High-Level Event on the Demographic Dividend and Youth Employment, held at UN Headquarters in New York on June 1st.

Much the world is poised experience a demographic dividend – the economic growth that can occur when a population shifts from one with many dependents and comparatively few working-age people to one of many working-age people with fewer dependents. Demographic dividends have helped produce unprecedented economic growth in several East Asian countries. The Republic of Korea, for example, saw its per-capita gross domestic product grow about 2,200 per cent between 1950 and 2008.

But, as Egypt’s Minister of Population Dr. Hala Youssef told the policymakers and leaders present, “The demographic dividend is not automatic… It is a window of opportunity.” 

Igniting the potential of 1.8 billion

To realize the dividend, countries must invest in the empowerment, education and employment of their young people. There are 1.8 billion young people in the world today, representing a staggering amount of human potential. Yet too many of them are trapped in poverty, with few opportunities to learn or to earn a decent living.

“We all appreciate the massive waste of human capital in our world when 74 million young people cannot find work,” said Mr. Ban.

Young people are hungry for better options. “They are rejecting the status quo and demanding a better future. Many of them are claiming their right to a decent living, and they are willing to take risks to do so. We have seen in recent times the high numbers of young people taking risks around the Mediterranean, trying to reach a better life,” said Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA. 

But if these youth are allowed to realize their full potential, developing countries could see huge economic gains.

“The more young people grow into well-educated adults with fewer dependants and new opportunities to acquire wealth, savings and purchasing power, the more they will be able to accelerate economic growth and development,” said Sam K. Kutesa, President of the 69th Session of the General Assembly, who convened the high-level event with support from UNFPA and the International Labour Organization.

“It is estimated the African continent could add up to about $500 billion per year to its economy for as many as 30 years,” Mr. Kutesa added.

Steps towards a better future

There are clear steps that can help countries achieve a demographic dividend.

Increasing investment in young people is key. This includes promoting quality education that prepares them for future opportunities. A “diversity of training will be needed – from quality primary and secondary schools to technical training, to two-year colleges and to research-intensive universities,” said Dr. Osotimehin. 

Also essential is “empowering women and girls, and ensuring their sexual and reproductive health and human rights,” he noted. “This would enable them to determine when and whom to marry and the number of their children.” When women and girls are able to make these decisions, they are better able to complete their educations and pursue jobs.

Countries must also increase employment opportunities for young people. Daniel Johnson, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture of the Bahamas, stressed this point. “Many young people will be forced to sit on margins of society, waiting on the train track for a train that may never come,” he said, referring to the lack of employment options available in many communities. 

There is also a critical need to involve young people in decisions that will affect them. “We cannot talk about sustainable development without the active involvement of youth,” Mr. Ban said, adding: “When we give young people decent jobs, political weight, negotiating muscle, and real influence in our world, they will create a better future.”

“Let us take these ideas forward to harness the demographic dividend, holding human rights, gender equality, human capital, and dignity at the center of all our investments,” Dr. Osotimehin said at the close of the event. “Only by ensuring opportunities that open the future to all young people do we create a better future.”

Image: Students in Cotonou, Benin. © UNFPA Benin/Ollivier Girard 

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Strengthening meaningful youth engagement in education

Kenisha Arora, outgoing HLSC youth & student representative

This article is part of the Key Learnings for Education 2030 series written by the SDG4 High-Level Steering Committee (HLSC) Inter-Agency Secretariat. In this series, we speak with the outgoing leaders of the HLSC about the strides that were made towards achieving SDG4 and draw inspiration from them on how to further advance the work for education transformation.

14 December 2023 - Last week, at the 28th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) held in Dubai, young leaders of the SDG4 Youth & Student Network shared their expertise on the central role of education in addressing the climate crisis, including by preparing students to be climate-ready.

Participating in COP28 is only one example of how the 167 members of the network are ensuring that youth voices remain central and are heard in the important issues of our day.  These issues matter the constituents of youth and students represented by the SDG4 Youth & Student network – such as climate justice, education in emergencies, and human rights. In another instance of meaningful youth engagement, seventeen members from the Arab States region were invited to join consultations and provide inputs on UNESCO Arab region’s 2024-2025 Education 2030 Roadmap. 

In this story, we speak with Kenisha Arora, the outgoing High-Level Steering Committee (HLSC) youth & student representative and SDG4 Youth & Student Network Executive Committee member, to delve deep on how the network became a space for many youth leaders to ensure that their voices are heard by decision makers. 

The role of youth engagement as part of the SDG4 High-Level Steering Committee

On 8 November 2023, at the Leader’s meeting of the SDG4 High-Level Steering Committee (HLSC), the global apex body for education cooperation, Arora emphasized on the role played by the Global Youth Initiative , the first multi-stakeholder, global initiative aiming to ensure meaningful youth engagement and leadership in education policymaking . It was launched on 24 January 2023, on the International Day of Education. This unique initiative draws from the Youth Declaration launched at the Transforming Education Summit convened by the UN Secretary-General in September 2022. 

It’s three main components are 

  • Youth Empowerment and Leadership that aims to build capacity
  • Youth Engagement and Participation that aims to create systemic opportunities for young people’s meaningful engagement (including the Global Youth Engagement Indicator)
  • Youth-led Global Education Movement , that includes supporting youth-led education grassroots projects 

The  Global Youth Engagement Indicator , which is part of the Global Youth Initiative, will ask countries to report on how they are engaging youth in decision making in education and will be reported on annually to the HLSC.

The decision for the indicator was taken by the HLSC in 2022, along with indicators to measure green and digital education at the national level. Arora is highly encouraged by the Global Youth Engagement Indicator. 

The Global Youth Engagement Indicator is the first of its kind in the SDG framework and will work to ensure that young people are not only at the table where decisions are being made but also position young people as equal partners in the global education movement

The impact of the youth in Transforming Education

During the HLSC meeting, Arora also stressed on the importance of valuing young people as experts in the Transforming Education narrative and pointed out that they possess not just innovative ideas to change local education systems, but that they also have the experience and know-how needed to transform ideas into concrete solutions. “As young leaders, we have bright ideas and bold visions for where we want our education systems to be and what we want them to look like; we know the skills that we need to have for the future,” added Arora. UNESCO’s Futures of Higher Education initiative reports in 2023 that skills like critical thinking, adaptiveness, global citizenship, resilience and creativity are what it takes to better shape the future of higher education and the world tomorrow.

Such skills are evident through the initiatives founded, led, or implemented by youth and students that created positive impact on the ground. For example, Ilan Enverga, the incoming HLSC youth & student representative, pioneered a K-12 (kindergarten to grades 1-12) education programme for SDG action and global citizenship in the Philippines; there is also Anupama Pradeepan from India, who co-founded Open Space Foundation , an initiative that empowers science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education across communities in three South Indian states; we also have Francis Odhiambo from Kenya, who founded ChezaCheza , an initiative that helps young people "build stronger minds through dance."

It's been quite an inspiring journey so far. At the Transforming Education Summit, we saw young people at the forefront of this movement leading in conversations, policy dialogues, and at the grassroots level. In just two years, we've [the SDG4 Youth & Student Network] made great strides to increase youth engagement. 

The challenge for the next generation of youth leaders in education

Concluding her mandate as the youth & student representative on the HLSC on 31 December 2023, Arora shared a few words of advice for her successors who will continue leading the work on meaningful youth engagement in education policymaking: “We, the youth know what our future looks like, and we know what kinds of learners we want to be in this 21st century. So, I encourage young people to not stop when they hear ‘your ideas and visions are too bold.’  Keep knocking at the door even when you hear 'no.' Keep knocking until someone listens."

Watch the full interview with Kenisha

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  • Adolescent education and skills

Adolescents need lifelong learning to build better futures for themselves, their families and their communities.

A 17-year-old girl laughs with friends outside their school in Uganda, 2019.

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Adolescents (children aged 10–19) are growing up in a transforming world. Technology, migration, climate change and conflict are reshaping society, forcing people across the globe to adapt to unexpected changes in their lives and work.

To keep up, adolescents  must be able to seize opportunities and confront challenges. They need education and skills to become lifelong learners, to secure productive work, to make informed decisions and to positively engage in their communities.

Yet, over 250 million adolescents were not in school, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2030, it is estimated that another 825 million children will not acquire the basic secondary-level skills – like transferable, digital and job-specific skills – needed to support lifelong learning and employment.

Without access to education opportunities that help develop skills, adolescents face serious challenges thriving in the twenty-first century – with repercussions for generations to come.

What’s more, some 617 million children and adolescents are unable to reach minimum proficiency levels in reading and math – even though two thirds of them are in school. This learning crisis is the greatest global challenge to preparing adolescents for the modern employment market.

Concerted investment and coordination to strengthen education systems is needed so that all adolescents, especially the most marginalized, can acquire skills that help them fulfil their potential.

A group of young people laugh together at a table in art school as they draw and paint in Kazakhstan in 2019.

Skills needed for success in school, life and work

  • Foundational skills : Foundational skills, namely literacy and numeracy, are essential for further learning, productive employment and civic engagement.
  • Digital skills : Digital literacy enables children and young people to use and understand technology, search for and manage information, create and share content, collaborate, communicate, build knowledge, and solve problems safely, critically and ethically.
  • Transferable skills : Also called “life skills,” “twenty-first-century skills,” “soft skills,” or “socio-emotional skills,” these allow young people to become agile learners and global citizens equipped to navigate personal, social, academic and economic challenges. Transferable skills also help young people affected by crisis cope with trauma and build resilience. They include problem-solving, negotiation, managing emotions, empathy and communication.
  • Job-specific skills : Also known as “technical" and "vocational" skills, these are associated with occupations and support the transition of older adolescents into the workforce.

UNICEF’s work to address the global learning and skills crisis

Because skills development takes place at different stages in life, UNICEF programming is anchored in a multiple-pathways approach that helps us meet children where they are. We work closely with governments and partners so that every 5-year-old is ready to learn, every 10-year-old is ready to succeed in school, and every 18-year-old is prepared for life and work – aiming to have all children and young people developing the necessary skills at each phase of life.

In both humanitarian and development contexts, we improve the quality and reach of education and training programmes that develop the skills, knowledge and outlooks children and adolescents need to participate meaningfully in society. This includes mainstreaming skills development in school curricula, while identifying and providing alternative pathways for continued education.

Our Reimagine Education initiative is revolutionizing learning and skills development for children and adolescents in an effort to ensure 3.5 billion children and youth in 190 countries access world-class digital learning solutions by 2030.

In schools and in communities, UNICEF:

  • Supports skills development opportunities through curricular and extracurricular programmes
  • Promotes flexible, alternative and certified learning programmes to prepare adolescents – especially those who have been uprooted by war, violence and poverty – to re-enter school or transition to work
  • Supports community-based opportunities for non-formal skills development
  • Promotes opportunities within systems and communities to facilitate adolescents’ transition from learning to civic engagement

We also work with governments and communities to help dismantle barriers to learning and skills development for the most marginalized – especially girls; migrant, refugee and displaced adolescents; those living in poverty; and those with disabilities. This includes addressing discriminatory norms and inequity in national education plans and budgets by:

  • Supporting gender-equitable and inclusive curricula and teaching practices, including online learning
  • Helping tackle financial obstacles through cash transfers and other social protection measures
  • Providing safe school environments, with access to nutrition and safe water, sanitation and hygiene, including for menstrual hygiene management

What’s more, UNICEF mobilizes financial resources, political support and technical know-how to innovate skills development programmes. In 2018, we spearheaded Generation Unlimited , a global partnership dedicated to connecting all young people to education, training, employment and entrepreneurship.

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Talent on the Move: Listening to children and young people on the move to unlock their potential

Working across sectors in turkey accelerates learning for all adolescents, preparing adolescents in jordan for productive, engaged, and resilient adulthood, engaged and heard unicef guidelines for adolescent participation and civic engagement  .

The Guidelines are intended to support the design of meaningful and equitable Adolescent Participation and Civic Engagement. They provide information on the ‘why’, ‘what’ and ‘how-to’ of adolescent participation and civic engagement. The Guidelines provide sector-specific guidelines for adolescent participation in Education and Skills Development.  

Adolescent Kit for Expression and Innovation  

This is a package of guidance, tools, activities and supplies to support adolescents ages 10-18 with skills development and psychosocial support, especially those who are affected by humanitarian crises. The Kit aims to bring about positive change in adolescents’ lives through arts and innovation. 

The World Development Report, 2018: LEARNING to Realize Education’s Promise

This report explores how to make schools work for learners, and systems work for learning.

Secondary Education Guidance: Multiple and Flexible Pathways

This global guidance on secondary education lays out recommendations for UNICEF’s work at the country level, supporting governments in guaranteeing the right to education of marginalized adolescents.

Towards an Equal Future: Reimagining Girls’ Education through STEM

This document seeks to call attention to the potential of STEM education to transform gender norms in the education system, to improve quality learning opportunities for girls, and to highlight key actions that can accelerate girls’ transition between education and technical expert jobs in STEM industries.

The World Development Report, 2019: The Changing Nature of Work

This report investigates how advances in technology are changing the nature of work, and considers best responses, including investing in human capital, for Governments.

Transitions from School to Work: Technical Note

This paper provides guidance on how UNICEF can work with government and partners to support adolescents to make a smooth transition from school to decent work.

Life Skills and Citizenship Education Initiative, Middle East and North Africa

This initiative seeks to provide diverse stakeholders in the Middle East and North Africa with an evidence-based framework for improving learning for individual, social and economic development.

GirlForce: Skills, Education and Training for Girls now

This brief presents data on persistent gender gaps in labour market outcomes, despite girls’ and women’s gains in education.

Skills for a Changing World

This project from the Center for Universal Education at Brookings and the LEGO Foundation seeks to ensure all children have high-quality learning opportunities that build the skills needed to create productive, healthy societies in the face of global change.

Read 10 stories of amazing young people who, through their tireless advocacy and efforts, put education on top of the world's priorities.

10 ways youth are improving education around the world. Credit: World Humanitarian Summit Youth involvement

Today marks International Youth Day. To celebrate, we are profiling some of the many youths who are working tirelessly to improve education in their communities and around the world.

1. Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize for her advocacy for education

Malala Yousafzai

In December 2014, Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize for her advocacy for education around the world. Since surviving an attack on her life by the Taliban in October 2012, she has dedicated herself to ensuring that the 124 million children and youth who are not in school have the opportunity to go to school and learn. Malala is now calling on donor governments to fill the $39 billion per year financing gap to achieve the education Sustainable Development Goal to be launched at the UN General Assembly in September this year.

2. Young people made their voices heard in the development of the Global Goals to be adopted next month

Youth have made their voices and opinions heard over the last two years as consultations were held around the world and within the United Nations to develop the next set of Global Goals that will follow the Millennium Development Goals . Through the Major Group on Children and Youth , young people have taken a seat alongside world leaders at the decision table to give their feedback on the 17 goals and 169 targets that will affect their generation over the next 15 years.

Youth also participated in consultations such as My World survey : 78% of respondents were under the age of 30 and 44% of respondents ranked " a good education " as their top priority.

3. Leroy Philips advocates for youth with disabilities

Leroy Philips (center) with Justine Greening, UK Secretary of State for International Development

Leroy Philips (center) with Justine Greening, UK Secretary of State for International Development

Leroy Philips, a young man from Guyana, has had his own struggle to pursue an education after an accident left him blind at the age of six. However, he did not let barriers deter him. Leroy went on to finish high school and now works to empower other young people to pursue their education through his radio program and role as the President of Leonard Cheshire Disability's Young Voices chapter in Guyana.

In June 2015 Leroy was honored as one of the Queen's Young Leaders Award recipients. After receiving the award in London, Leroy met with heads of state and education champions such as UK Secretary of State for International Development Justine Greening and discussed the importance of financing education for the most marginalized children, including those with disabilities.

4. Nigerian youth advocate for children in Northern Nigeria

Nigerian youth advocate for children in Northern Nigeria

The abduction of over 200 schoolgirls by the terrorist group Boko Haram in northern Nigeria took the world’s attention by storm in April 2014. Young people in Nigeria had already been advocating fiercely – and continue to do so – for safe, quality education for their peers. Abdul Tashiu is one of those youth leaders. Abdul is from Kaduna State in Northern Nigeria and fled with his family in 2011 following post-election violence. Abdul now volunteers in a camp for the internally displaced in Abuja. He ensures the school runs smoothly and has been instrumental in connecting national education organizations with the displaced community to make sure their children continue to get an education.

5. In Uganda young women are inspiriting teen mothers to continue their education

In Uganda young women are inspiriting teen mothers to continue their education

In Uganda, 1 in 4 girls between the ages of 15 and 19 is pregnant or already a mother. Teen mothers face a high likelihood of dropping out of school and not finishing their education. Thankfully, young women are taking charge to ensure their peers stay in school by removing barriers to education for teen mothers. In 2013, two former teen parents founded Trailblazers Mentoring Foundation to empower out-of-school youth, particularly young mothers, to continue their education. Young women mentor other youth on education and also livelihoods and sexual and reproductive health.

6. United Nations Youth Envoy makes quality education a priority

In February 2013, the Secretary General of the United Nations appointed the first-ever Youth Envoy , Ahmad Alhendawi. Ahmad, a native of Jordan, has made youth employability one of his priorities. Ahmad knows that without a quality and relevant education, children and youth will not have the skills they need to find meaningful work. In addition to advocating for better policies on youth training, employability and education, Ahmad has called on world leaders to include youth in the policy-making process from the beginning to ensure policies are relevant and meet the needs of those they are meant to serve.

7. Youth in Nepal help their country rebuild after the earthquake

Youth in Nepal help their country rebuild after the earthquake

Every morning before going to school, Purushottam (left), 13, and Tejan (right),16, do a round of tents in their temporary camp and take the names of occupants so that food can be distributed fairly in the evening by a charity organization. They have been living in tents like these since the earthquakes of April and May 2015 destroyed their homes. Nepal’s future is in good hands thanks to an amazing number of youth like them who stood up in the midst of their national hardship.

8. Youth are teaching other young people how to be advocates for education in their country

Youth are teaching other young people how to be advocates for education in their country

The Youth Advocacy Group (YAG) to the Secretary General's Global Education First Initiative have been advocates for education in the halls of the United Nations, alongside Malala Yousafzai and in their own countries. As part of their mission to engage other youth in improving education, the YAG designed a Youth Advocacy Toolkit to teach other young people how to be advocates for education in their communities and countries. Youth organize advocacy trainings around the world to work with young people and adapt the toolkit to their local priorities.

9. Young filmmakers are showing the world how young women are empowered through education

Plan International has worked with women and young filmmakers to highlight the challenges that girls face in going to school and completing their education. As a form of peer mentorship, Plan International worked with female filmmakers to document these challenges, including poverty, discrimination, violence and early marriage. Their message to young women is to be empowered through education.

10. Youth are shaping the agenda on education in humanitarian emergencies

In advance of the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit in May 2016, youth around the world are shaping the agenda and priorities through global consultations . Youth in South East Asia and the South Pacific regions that have suffered national disasters over the last few years, have raised the importance of sustainability and education in the consultations.

Consultation of July 31 at Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines, organized by the Asean Youth Leaders Association and the International Youth Council – Pilipinas. Credit: World Humanitarian Summit Youth Involvement

Consultation of July 31 at Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines, organized by the Asean Youth Leaders Association and the International Youth Council – Pilipinas. Credit: World Humanitarian Summit Youth Involvement

What about you? Do you know amazing young people like the ones described here? Please share their stories on how their efforts help education around the world.

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Youth are key change agent to education SDGs #4, Youth should be focused in all form of education interventions, I would suggest GPE should appreciate Youth intervention all over world.

In reply to Youth role in Education promotion by Saleem Baloch

Hi Saleem, we could not agree more. GPE knows that young people are core to all of the SDGs, especially SDG 4 on education. We look forward to working with youth all over the world to realize these goals.

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What Is Education For?

Read an excerpt from a new book by Sir Ken Robinson and Kate Robinson, which calls for redesigning education for the future.

Student presentation

What is education for? As it happens, people differ sharply on this question. It is what is known as an “essentially contested concept.” Like “democracy” and “justice,” “education” means different things to different people. Various factors can contribute to a person’s understanding of the purpose of education, including their background and circumstances. It is also inflected by how they view related issues such as ethnicity, gender, and social class. Still, not having an agreed-upon definition of education doesn’t mean we can’t discuss it or do anything about it.

We just need to be clear on terms. There are a few terms that are often confused or used interchangeably—“learning,” “education,” “training,” and “school”—but there are important differences between them. Learning is the process of acquiring new skills and understanding. Education is an organized system of learning. Training is a type of education that is focused on learning specific skills. A school is a community of learners: a group that comes together to learn with and from each other. It is vital that we differentiate these terms: children love to learn, they do it naturally; many have a hard time with education, and some have big problems with school.

Cover of book 'Imagine If....'

There are many assumptions of compulsory education. One is that young people need to know, understand, and be able to do certain things that they most likely would not if they were left to their own devices. What these things are and how best to ensure students learn them are complicated and often controversial issues. Another assumption is that compulsory education is a preparation for what will come afterward, like getting a good job or going on to higher education.

So, what does it mean to be educated now? Well, I believe that education should expand our consciousness, capabilities, sensitivities, and cultural understanding. It should enlarge our worldview. As we all live in two worlds—the world within you that exists only because you do, and the world around you—the core purpose of education is to enable students to understand both worlds. In today’s climate, there is also a new and urgent challenge: to provide forms of education that engage young people with the global-economic issues of environmental well-being.

This core purpose of education can be broken down into four basic purposes.

Education should enable young people to engage with the world within them as well as the world around them. In Western cultures, there is a firm distinction between the two worlds, between thinking and feeling, objectivity and subjectivity. This distinction is misguided. There is a deep correlation between our experience of the world around us and how we feel. As we explored in the previous chapters, all individuals have unique strengths and weaknesses, outlooks and personalities. Students do not come in standard physical shapes, nor do their abilities and personalities. They all have their own aptitudes and dispositions and different ways of understanding things. Education is therefore deeply personal. It is about cultivating the minds and hearts of living people. Engaging them as individuals is at the heart of raising achievement.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights emphasizes that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights,” and that “Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.” Many of the deepest problems in current systems of education result from losing sight of this basic principle.

Schools should enable students to understand their own cultures and to respect the diversity of others. There are various definitions of culture, but in this context the most appropriate is “the values and forms of behavior that characterize different social groups.” To put it more bluntly, it is “the way we do things around here.” Education is one of the ways that communities pass on their values from one generation to the next. For some, education is a way of preserving a culture against outside influences. For others, it is a way of promoting cultural tolerance. As the world becomes more crowded and connected, it is becoming more complex culturally. Living respectfully with diversity is not just an ethical choice, it is a practical imperative.

There should be three cultural priorities for schools: to help students understand their own cultures, to understand other cultures, and to promote a sense of cultural tolerance and coexistence. The lives of all communities can be hugely enriched by celebrating their own cultures and the practices and traditions of other cultures.

Education should enable students to become economically responsible and independent. This is one of the reasons governments take such a keen interest in education: they know that an educated workforce is essential to creating economic prosperity. Leaders of the Industrial Revolution knew that education was critical to creating the types of workforce they required, too. But the world of work has changed so profoundly since then, and continues to do so at an ever-quickening pace. We know that many of the jobs of previous decades are disappearing and being rapidly replaced by contemporary counterparts. It is almost impossible to predict the direction of advancing technologies, and where they will take us.

How can schools prepare students to navigate this ever-changing economic landscape? They must connect students with their unique talents and interests, dissolve the division between academic and vocational programs, and foster practical partnerships between schools and the world of work, so that young people can experience working environments as part of their education, not simply when it is time for them to enter the labor market.

Education should enable young people to become active and compassionate citizens. We live in densely woven social systems. The benefits we derive from them depend on our working together to sustain them. The empowerment of individuals has to be balanced by practicing the values and responsibilities of collective life, and of democracy in particular. Our freedoms in democratic societies are not automatic. They come from centuries of struggle against tyranny and autocracy and those who foment sectarianism, hatred, and fear. Those struggles are far from over. As John Dewey observed, “Democracy has to be born anew every generation, and education is its midwife.”

For a democratic society to function, it depends upon the majority of its people to be active within the democratic process. In many democracies, this is increasingly not the case. Schools should engage students in becoming active, and proactive, democratic participants. An academic civics course will scratch the surface, but to nurture a deeply rooted respect for democracy, it is essential to give young people real-life democratic experiences long before they come of age to vote.

Eight Core Competencies

The conventional curriculum is based on a collection of separate subjects. These are prioritized according to beliefs around the limited understanding of intelligence we discussed in the previous chapter, as well as what is deemed to be important later in life. The idea of “subjects” suggests that each subject, whether mathematics, science, art, or language, stands completely separate from all the other subjects. This is problematic. Mathematics, for example, is not defined only by propositional knowledge; it is a combination of types of knowledge, including concepts, processes, and methods as well as propositional knowledge. This is also true of science, art, and languages, and of all other subjects. It is therefore much more useful to focus on the concept of disciplines rather than subjects.

Disciplines are fluid; they constantly merge and collaborate. In focusing on disciplines rather than subjects we can also explore the concept of interdisciplinary learning. This is a much more holistic approach that mirrors real life more closely—it is rare that activities outside of school are as clearly segregated as conventional curriculums suggest. A journalist writing an article, for example, must be able to call upon skills of conversation, deductive reasoning, literacy, and social sciences. A surgeon must understand the academic concept of the patient’s condition, as well as the practical application of the appropriate procedure. At least, we would certainly hope this is the case should we find ourselves being wheeled into surgery.

The concept of disciplines brings us to a better starting point when planning the curriculum, which is to ask what students should know and be able to do as a result of their education. The four purposes above suggest eight core competencies that, if properly integrated into education, will equip students who leave school to engage in the economic, cultural, social, and personal challenges they will inevitably face in their lives. These competencies are curiosity, creativity, criticism, communication, collaboration, compassion, composure, and citizenship. Rather than be triggered by age, they should be interwoven from the beginning of a student’s educational journey and nurtured throughout.

From Imagine If: Creating a Future for Us All by Sir Ken Robinson, Ph.D and Kate Robinson, published by Penguin Books, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © 2022 by the Estate of Sir Kenneth Robinson and Kate Robinson.

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Essay on Importance Of Education In 21St Century

Students are often asked to write an essay on Importance Of Education In 21St Century in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

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100 Words Essay on Importance Of Education In 21St Century

Learning for the future.

Education is like a key. It opens doors to new ideas, jobs, and understanding the world. In the 21st century, learning new things is very important because jobs are changing fast. People who can read, write, and do math can adapt to new jobs easier.

Connecting with the World

School teaches us how to use computers and the internet. This helps us talk to people from anywhere and learn from them. Knowing how to use technology is very important today because it helps us find information and solve problems.

Being a Good Citizen

Education helps us make wise choices in life and voting. It teaches us about different cultures and how to respect them. Good schools help us learn how to work with others and be good members of society.

Personal Growth

When we learn, we grow. Education helps us understand ourselves better and what we are good at. It also gives us confidence to try new things, which is very important for everyone’s future.

250 Words Essay on Importance Of Education In 21St Century

The need for education today.

Education is very important in our lives. Think of it like a key that opens the door to the world of opportunities. In the 21st century, the world is changing fast. To keep up, we need to learn new things all the time.

Jobs and Skills

Long ago, many jobs needed strong hands or the ability to do the same thing over and over. Now, we need people who can think, solve problems, and use computers. Schools teach us these skills so we can do well in modern jobs.

Technology and Learning

We use technology, like phones and computers, every day. Education helps us understand how to use these tools safely and wisely. It also shows us how to create new things with technology that can make life better.

Understanding Each Other

Our world has many different people. Education teaches us about other cultures and places. This helps us work and live together in peace. It also makes us curious to learn more about the world.

Health and Well-being

When we learn, we find out how to take care of our health. Schools tell us about good food, exercise, and how to stay away from sickness. This knowledge is very important for a happy life.

Education is a light that shows us the way to a bright future. It is more than just reading and math. It is about learning how to live well, work with others, and understand the world. We need education now more than ever to keep up with the fast changes and have a good life in the 21st century.

500 Words Essay on Importance Of Education In 21St Century

Why education matters today.

Education is like a key that opens many doors to different rooms of opportunities in life. In the 21st century, this key has become even more important. Our world is changing fast. We have new technology, ways of talking to each other from far away, and jobs that did not exist before. To do well in this world, learning and going to school is very important.

Learning New Skills

Today, we need to know how to use computers and the internet. Many jobs ask for these skills. School teaches us how to read, write, and do math, but it also teaches us how to learn new things. When we know how to learn, we can keep getting better at our jobs or even start new ones.

Understanding the World

The world is full of different people and ideas. Education helps us understand these differences. We learn about history, science, and cultures. This knowledge makes us smarter and helps us get along with others. It also helps us make the world a better place by solving problems like pollution and diseases.

Getting Good Jobs

To get a good job, we need to have a good education. Many jobs that pay well ask for at least a high school diploma. Some jobs need even more school, like college or university. With a good education, we can choose from many jobs and find one that we like and that pays us enough money.

Building Confidence

When we learn and do well in school, we feel good about ourselves. We become more confident. This confidence helps us in everything we do, from speaking in front of people to trying new things. Being confident can lead us to be leaders and make good changes in the world.

Staying Healthy

Education also teaches us how to take care of our bodies. We learn about good food, exercise, and how to stay away from sickness. People who have more education often live longer and are happier. They know how to make good choices for their health.

Helping Each Other

When we are educated, we can help others. We can teach them what we know. We can also help people who are not as lucky as we are. Education gives us the power to make a difference in other people’s lives.

In short, education in the 21st century is very important. It helps us get good jobs, understand the world, and live a better life. It is not just about books and tests. It is about growing up to be smart, kind, and ready to help make the world a better place for everyone. So, let’s keep learning and growing every day!

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Home / Essay Samples / Health / Youth / Youth Development And Its Importance

Youth Development And Its Importance

  • Category: Psychology , Education , Health
  • Topic: Development , Importance of Education , Youth

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Youth leadership development, the importance of youth development, asset building/life skills, youth participation, social & contextual factors, youth and disability, youth and exclusion, youth and gender.

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