The process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university:

(oxford dictionary)
Education in its general sense is a form of learning in which the knowledge, skills, and habits of a
group of people are transferred from one generation to the next through teaching, training, or
research. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of others, but may also
be autodidactic.
[!
"ny experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts
may be considered educational. Education is commonly divided into stages such
as preschool, primary school, secondary school and then college, university or apprenticeship.
Etymologically, the word #Education$ has been derived from different %atin words.
a& educare which means to bring out or to nourish.
HISTORY:
Education began in the earliest prehistory, as adults trained the young of their society in the
knowledge and skills they would need to master and eventually pass on. 'n pre(literate societies this
was achieved orally and through imitation. )tory(telling continued from one generation to the next.
"s cultures began to extend their knowledge beyond skills that could be readily learned through
imitation, formal education developed. )chools existed in Egypt at the time of the *iddle +ingdom.
[,!
-lato founded the "cademy in "thens, the first institution of higher learning in Europe.
[.!
The city
of"lexandria in Egypt, founded in //0 12E, became the successor to "thens as the intellectual
cradle of "ncient 3reece. There mathematician Euclid and anatomist 4erophilus5 constructed the
great %ibrary of "lexandria and translated the 4ebrew 1ible into 3reek. European civili6ations
suffered a collapse of literacy and organi6ation following the fall of 7ome in "8 ,9:.
Elsewhere during the *iddle "ges, 'slamic science and mathematics flourished under the
'slamic caliphate established across the *iddle East, extending from the 'berian -eninsula in the
west to the 'ndus in the east and to the "lmoravid 8ynasty and *ali Empire in the south.
The 7enaissance in Europe ushered in a new age of scientific and intellectual inquiry and
appreciation of ancient 3reek and 7oman civili6ations. "round ,.0, ;ohannes
3utenberg developed a printing press, which allowed works of literature to spread more quickly. The
European "ge of Empires saw European ideas of education in philosophy, religion, arts and
sciences spread out across the globe. *issionaries and scholars also brought back new ideas from
other civilisations < as with the ;esuit 2hina missions who played a significant role in the
transmission of knowledge, science, and culture between 2hina and Europe, translating works from
Europe like Euclid=s Elements for 2hinese scholars and the thoughts of2onfucius for European
audiences. The Enlightenment saw the emergence of a more secular educational outlook in Europe.
MEANING:
.. ristot!e " >Education is the creation of sound mind in a sound body.?
:. Rousseau " >Education is the child$s development from within.?
9. Herbert S#encer( >Education is complete living.?
@. $!ato A >Education is the capacity to feel pleasure and pain at the right moment.?
ADVANTAGES AND
DISADVANTAGES:
+nowledge is power and for those reading this article, at least a basic level of that
power of education has been accessible. 4owever there are instances in the world
where the distribution of education is skewed. The advantages and disadvantages of
education although seemingly quite clear can be explored to quite a detailed level. 't is
usually the benefits of education that are extolled from time to time and there is much
strength in that argument since the one thing that separates man from animals is the
ability to advance knowledge and expertise from one generation to the next. Bn the
other hand some may argue about the difference between #having an education$ and
#possessing knowledge$.
4ere we try and develop a debate about the advantages and disadvantages of
education keeping in mind all points of view.
"dvantages of Education
Hu%an &a#ita! A To build upon the previous point, when looked at from a macro
perspective, an educated population provides a more valuable human capital base to
the economy. " developed economy has maximum concentration of Cobs in the tertiary
sector which requires a highly skilled work force which has expertise in specific fields.
Dor instance the most developed country in the world, the E)" has the most skilled
human resources with maximum efficiency. "lso, developing countries which adopt tried
and tested technologies from other nations require skilled engineers, technicians and
managers who can put it to good use. This can only be achieved by providing quality
education to the population at a primary, secondary and higher secondary level.
'roadens #ers#ecti(e A This is one of the key advantages of education. Even if we
consider economic benefit of education but its most important contribution that it helps
in changing minds of people. Education makes people understand other cultures,
religions, places and culture. 't helps gain understanding of what the world is all about.
This very important if we see from perspective of developing nations which are plagued
by old notions. 'n countries such as 'ndia girl and boy child are differentiated. Even
worse women are considered cause of girl child while science tells that it is the other
way round. )imilar old style dogmas exists everywhere in the world and the only way to
eradicate them is proper education.
Hones #otentia! A "n education provides individuals with the ability to develop their
potential to a much greater extent. Exposure to different fields and interests allows a
person to choose between a number of options and hone in on the one field that they
have the ability to excel in. This also helps develop interest in a number of other non(
academic fields such as art, culture, music, all of which are important to have a
wholesome life. 't improves interaction between people and results in more efficient
exchanges.
'etter )ob #ros#ects A The conventional way of proceeding in life through the ages
has been in four stages: childhood and education, putting knowledge to work by
obtaining a career, raising a family, growing old and retiring from the daily conundrums
of life. The logical step after the initial childhood years is to attend an educational
institute and gather as much knowledge and information as possible for a better life in
the future. This helps in developing a better base for securing a career later thus
advancing the individual into the next phase of life. This helps in providing the basics
such as food, water and shelter as well as a host of other needs. Thus, a better
education will ensure higher returns and subsequently a better quality of life.
*is#e!s ine+ua!ity A Dor individuals who do not have a wealthy or fortunate
background, the provision of quality education puts them at the same footing as the vast
maCority of Cob seekers allowing them to rise from their present level. This phenomenon,
also known as distributive Custice, helps in reducing inequalities, both economic and
social, in society.
The importance of education has been recognised by the international community as
can be observed by the 7ight to Education "ct which has been in existence since F.G
in the European 2onvention on 4uman 7ights and obliges all signatories to guarantee
the right to education. The Enited Hations$ 'nternational 2ovenant on Economic, )ocial
and 2ultural 7ights of F:: guarantees this right on a global scale.
These facts display how seriously countries the world over have taken the aspect of
education to be. Especially for developing countries, improving the quality of life of its
population through education and all its subsequent effects is of utmost priority and has
indeed been undertaken on a large scale by all such countries.
8isadvantages of Education
Though it is widely accepted that education is essential for the growth and development
of an individual, the medium through which this is carried out can vary from one place to
another. )ome societies may be of the opinion that education can be transmitted Cust as
well through unconventional media as it is through schools, colleges and other
education institutes. 'n olden times knowledge was passed on over generations through
learning on the Cob and elders$ stories5 a formal route of attending school and college
was not stressed upon. 4ere we explore some of the disadvantages of education.
Status sy%bo! A These days a quality education has become a means for
discrimination. "s if the regular economic and social barriers weren$t enough, now the
level of education and place from where it has been obtained, have become valid
grounds for looking down upon people. "s has been claimed by an 'vy %eague graduate
himself, an elite education has its own inadequacies. The atmosphere in which these
#elite$ students are instructed and taught brings upon most a sense of false achievement
and superiority which widens the chasm between members of society. -eople who
attend other less prestigious schools are regarded with disdain and the entire concept of
self(worth is derived from the grade or 23-" system. -eople are Cudged by the
numbers they carry around A 3-"s, ranks, grades which may not be a wholesome
representation of who they are or what their potential is. "lthough it is no crime to
nurture excellence, refraining from making it a criterion to Cudge people on is important.
Restricts ideas A )ome forms of education blindly impose ideas upon young minds
instead of teaching them to think for themselves. The whole purpose of an education is
to allow the learner to apply themselves to think bigger and better. 4owever a faulty
education system can do more harm than good in this respect. 't can be argued that
those without a formal education are more ready and equipped to handle a dog eat dog
world. They may have gathered their knowledge from experience for which there is no
substitute. 4ence, unless the mode of education is wholesome and nurtures all aspects
of an individual$s personality, it may not be as advantageous as expected.
"fter exploring both aspects of the argument, it is safe to say that the advantages and
disadvantages of education point toward one direction. Though it has its drawbacks, if
implemented correctly, an education system is very helpful in improving the quality of
human life. 't helps in transmitting knowledge, skills, customs and values, all of which
are essential in the development of an individual. Thus, this discussion of the
advantages and disadvantages of education have led us to the conclusion that the
importance of education far outweighs its negatives.
Education plays an important role in political stability, economic development and social progress
of a nation. It brings political stability by realizing the people their national rights and duties and
thus through awareness of their rights and duties, a very good environment is created for better
implementation of the policies and good participation and cooperation of the people. Education
brings economic development because it enhances the productivity and efficiency of the people,
and provides them necessary skills which enable the people to play their role in supporting the
sustainable economic growth of the country. Education shapes the personality of the people, seeks
them moral obligations and duties, so they can play their part in the society.