Why get an education?

I have this fear that in rural Mexico a student, frustrated from the stress of his academics, is going to ask me, “Why do I need an education? My father is an uneducated famer and I know I will become a farmer, how is any of this stuff I’m learning going to help me?

As one seeking to improve the process of learning for Latino students, I feel I should have a strong conviction of why all youth should receive a full education.  To evaluate the importance of education I want to divide the answer into two parts: the reasons of the world and the reasons provided by God and his prophets.

The world’s view

To be Successful – To be able to own a nice house and a nice car and all the stuff that comes with living a upper-class life style. Those with money are thought of to be happier with a more comfortable life. They have more toys and more time to vacation and relax. Now, I don’t think it’s accurate to correlate money with happiness, but I do feel that money can help life me more comfortable and less stressful.

Support a family – If one plans on raising a family, a higher paying job sure makes it a lot easier to cover the costs of food, health insurance, housing and all other fees required to support a family. 

Money is required to keep bread on the table and an education can help with that.

From the list above I still don’t think isn’t enough to convince a frustrated student why he should get an education, he may think of his father as successful person and capable of raising a family. So why else should one get educated?

To have cultural literacy –Have you ever with been in a conversation with a group but unexpectedly the conversation switch over to health insurance, or the new research being done on stem cells and you all the sudden feel very much out of the loop? This is called cultural literacy and it’s the ability to understand the media around you.   If one is uneducated they can often feel left out, dumb, and unable to contribute to significant conversations.

Key to opportunity- when one is educated they understand the systems around them. Laws, rights and benefits are more easily understood and therefore they are able to use them to their advantage. Educated people are more capable of achieving their dreams because they understand how to use the resources around them.

Other reasons I have found are:

-          Will make you live longer

-          Increase the number of interesting people you meet.

-          Make you happier

-          Make you more attractive

God’s view

By the own words of Christ we read “Seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith” (D&C 88:118) From this scripture we understand the education has eternal benefits as well.

Education increases ones eternal potential. With the understanding of us as eternal beings, the character we develop in this life goes with us to the next. It then makes sense that by training ourselves to be problem solvers and experienced thinkers is not only important for this life that also for the eternities to come.

Example to others: Gaining an education allows one to contribute to society and set an example to others as a righteous and intelligent person.  Respect often follows the appearance on intelligence, and leaders must first earn the respect of their followers, thus education is typically a requirement for righteous leaders.

Ability to serve: An education enables you to better know how to serve God and his children.  Doctors, teachers and professional occupations are great opportunities to serve others with special needs.

Provide for your family now and forever: It’s clear that God also promotes education to provide for our family because family relations are considered eternal. This support is not only for physical needs but as an educated example and leader in the home parents, parents are better prepared to guide their children correctly through life.

In conclusion, if I was to encounter a student doubting the importance of an education, I would encourage him by saying: Yes, you will earn more money and be more equipped to contribute to society, but more importantly, it is only by achieving an educated mind that one can truly reach their full potential. Learning about the world around us causes us to understand the bigger picture and thus enabling us to make wiser decision and empowering us to accomplish our goals. A lack in education limits one’s destiny.