The Foundation of Every State is the Education of its Youth - Assignment Example

The foundation of every state is the education of its youth. Traditionally, Americans have viewed education as a means of social advancement. By providing equal educational opportunity to all, schooling could serve as a progressive force for eliminating poverty and promoting economic equality. The study conducted by Alliance (2007) point out that dropouts are a drain on the economies of each state and the nation. Lower local, state, and national tax revenues are perhaps the most obvious consequence of higher dropout rates; even when dropouts are employed, they earn significantly lower wages than graduates.

State and local economies suffer further when they have less-educated populaces, as they find it more difficult to attract new business investment. Simultaneously, these entities must spend more on social programs when their populations have lower educational levels. Dropouts represent a tremendous waste of human potential and productivity and reduce the nation’s ability to compete in an increasingly global economy. For the individual with a vision to excel with the ultimate goal of being instrumental in the future progress of one’s nation, education is the best alternative.

For society, higher educations provide a lower rate of unemployment, more tax revenues, lesser reliance on governmental support. In addition, those who acquired college education were found to smoke less, are more health-conscious and are less likely to commit crimes. Education, per se, provides innumerable benefits for the individuals as well as for the society. There is a responsibility to ensure that every student who is granted the right to be educated would not only value and cherish the lessons learned; but more so, to share what they have learned in terms of making each and everyone aware of the importance that education accords – to oneself, and to the society, and the nation as a whole.