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Purpose of education is to achieve a life one wants

Throughout the years of education, we are told to study hard, and we shoulder more of our parents’ expectations after we receive more education.

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Eunice Yip Lin En and Ye Qun

Throughout the years of education, we are told to study hard, and we shoulder more of our parents’ expectations after we receive more education.

In a city where much emphasis is placed on the outcome of education, those who educate and who are being educated rarely reflect on the purpose of education. So what is its purpose?

The mainstream answer would be to constantly improve ourselves, strengthen our competitiveness and give everyone an equal opportunity in life, regardless of race, religion and family background. What else has education rendered us?

We are gradually equipped, in the process of education, with a full category of skills and differentiated from one another according to our talents, interests, majors and competitiveness, so that we can be well-organised with superior performances in this world.

Without the capabilities developed throughout education, our envisioned world would be small and restricted owing to a lack of skills to hunt for new information.

Periodically, we have redefined ourselves by asking questions such as who we are and who we are eager to be.

Without a long journey of education, we may miss out many valuable experiences such as standing on the parade square to sing the National Anthem, attending orientations with new friends and celebrating commencements with old friends.

Education gives us opportunities to discover our talents, chase our dreams and build friendships. What we learn and experience during our educational journey is far beyond what is inside the textbooks.

One truth is that education does not necessarily promise a bright future. Education is a weapon we equip ourselves with to strive for a life we want.

It gives us reason to live because we have dreams to achieve, so as not to become a deadbeat generation. Education gives us a chance to jump out of unfavourable, sticky situations.

Having education is like having the hope that we will never be stagnant and never stay in a dilemma for long, and the hope that as long as we are willing to work hard, nothing is impossible for us.

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