The Connection between Education and Development - Essay Example

The Connection between the Education and Development Name Institution Date Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 The Connection between the Education and Development 3 Introduction 3 Understanding the connection between education and development 3 Education and economic development 6 Education and social development 9 Education and political development 11 Conclusion 12 References 13 The Connection between the Education and Development Introduction Education is the backbone of social and economic development. It is a major engine for generating the appropriate blend of skills and knowledge required in internal, global and regional market. Education is one of the essential factors of development. No nation can attain sustainable economic development without investing in human capital. Education enables individual understanding the world and themselves. It promotes the superiority of their lives and results to wide social gains to the society and individuals. It increases the creativity and productivity of people and enhances technological and entrepreneurship advances. Education also plays a vital role in securing the social and economic progress and promoting income distribution. In developing and developed countries, education and science are the key developmental factors. This is so because education fundamentally stipulates the superiority of human capital, which determines the successful utilization of available monetary capital and natural resources of a nation. This report looks at the connection between education and development and education’s role in economic, political and social development. Understanding the connection between education and development Development involves the structural and qualitative changes within an economy for betterment of economic and social conditions of people. This requires individuals to acquire novel information, skills and knowledge so as to develop. Saha and Fagerlind (2005) argue that development is not merely based on economic growth but it is also closely associated with concept of quality of life. Development ensures fulfillment of primary needs appropriately and with decorum. Education entails teaching people and transforming the environment for sustenance of literacy. Basic education empowers the entire nation since educated workers and citizens have the knowledge and skills required to make the democratic institutions operate effectively, to achieve demands for a highly sophisticated workforce. Development isn’t confine to the microeconomic forces of growth but it also focuses upon the improvement of collective and individual human condition increasing participation and choices, wellbeing, standards of living and equality (Saha & Fagerlind, 2005). According to Fields (2000), development is not a stage to be gain or an objective to aim for but is rather a continuous process of improvement whereby service, research and education play important roles in producing positive change in individuals, the community as well as structures and institutions that support education and people. Development is dynamic procedure and it empowers individuals and enhances significant transformations in their livelihoods. Nevertheless, development can not happen by itself. It needs a competent, skilled and educated people. Viewed from this direction, education becomes the greatest significant factor for development and empowerment of people. Education offers people with the information and knowledge which then lead to desirable transformations in the manner people think, act and feel (Fields, 2000). Education builds a strong sense of self-confidence and self-esteem and effectively contributes to realization of the potential in an individual. Thus, education is regarded as a social and economic instrument for development of human resources and formation of human capital. People with reasonable numeracy and literacy skills tend to be more productive both economically and socially, have few children and enjoy a comparatively quality life in comparison to uneducated people. Educated individuals have higher incomes and are highly respected by society. Due to its concrete contributions in transforming the lives of individuals education has become a significant portion of development policy in all countries (Bils, & Klenow, 2000). According to Gumport (2007), the connection amid education and development is not as straightforward as it seems to be. In the real sense, the effect of education on development basically depends upon what people are taught and how much students learn. This implies that it is the contents of education and methods of teaching that bring a difference. Of equal importance is the interrelation of education with economic and social factors. Education is meaningful and useful when it leads to positive transformations in an individual’s life and empowers people to face daily challenges. Education is also meaningful and useful when it offers skills and knowledge of problem solving, reading, and writing. When education is oriented and organized on these lines it has lasting effect on income, attitudes, values, knowledge and economic and social development. Therefore, to successfully achieve their research, informational and educational functions in 21st century, education institutions, especially higher education institutions are required to be capable to effectively respond to the changing training and education needs, adapt to the increasingly changing higher education setting and adopt highly flexible modes or operation and organization (Gumport, 2007). Education and economic development Education contributes to growth of individual earnings and national income. Within the modern day information societies, the knowledge and skills attained through education drives economic development and growth. Higher or tertiary education is the major source of this knowledge. Krueger and Lindahl (2001) argue that economic growth and development presently depends upon the capability to create knowledge based products. However, knowledge economies highly depend upon the capability to produce knowledge via research and development other than upon knowledge based products. Therefore, knowledge economies place more value and accord greater priority to production and dissemination of knowledge. Institutions of higher education are a key source for offering human capital needed for knowledge production. Education is a landmark of any form of development. Education offers all knowledge and skills required to do any work in a systematic manner. With education, any nation is able to develop its society and economy. Before 19th century, methodical investment in human capital wasn’t regarded specially significant in several nations. Psacharopoulos and Patrinos (2007) note that expenses on schooling, training and other types of investment were very small. This started to radically change during the 20th century with the employment of science and technology to development of novel products and due to more effective schemes of production. During the 20th century and in the 21st century, education, and acquisition of skills and knowledge have become vital determinants of a nation’s and person’s productivity. The major determinant of the living standard of a country is how excellently it is successful in developing and using knowledge and skills, furthering health and offering education to majority of its populace (Psacharopoulos, & Patrinos, 2007). Education, particularly tertiary and higher education empowers and raises the quality of life and offers people the capability to continue developing their skills and knowledge. Education offers a base for development, the foundation in which people’s social and economic wellbeing is built. Education is the key to increasing social consistency and economic efficiency. Through increasing the efficiency and value of their labor, education assists to raise poor people form poverty. Education also increases the entire intellectual flexibility and productivity of labor force through equipping people with appropriate knowledge and skills. This enables a country to compete in the global world markets which have been characterized by changing production methods and technologies. Education is fundamental in national development. It strengthens nations and empowers people (Krueger, & Lindahl, 2001). According to Peaslee, (2005), the economic significance of higher education is currently well identified and the contribution that it makes to development of regional and national economies is attracting considerable policy interest. Education, especially higher education is being viewed as being of major significance in creation and transmission of knowledge and skills to the economy through its research and teaching. Higher education institutions plays a vital role in supporting knowledge edge economic development and growth strategies as well as the construction of socially cohesive, democratic societies. Peaslee (2005) notes that higher education helps in improving institutional regime via the training of responsible and competent professionals required for sound public sector and microeconomic management. The research and academic activities offered through education offers crucial support for nationwide innovation system. In addition, learning institutions usually comprise the backbone of a nation’s information infrastructure and their role as conduits and repositories of information. The role of tertiary education as the key driver of economic development has been ascertained, and this function will expand as additional shifts in technology, demographics and globalization impact nations. In order to remain competitive, nations will be required to promote productivity and also espouse an inventive spirit. Ilhan (2004) argues that education possesses the capacity; research and knowledge essential to assist accomplish these goals. Tertiary education has chronologically involved economic development as a portion of its key mission. Colleges, universities and vocational training institutions of several nations have allocated fiscal, human and physical resources and developed entrepreneurship schemes within these institutions to progress economic development. Higher education is a leading, if not crucial, in preparing people with robust skills required to the shifting job requirements (Ilhan, 2004) According to Hanushnek and Kimko (2003), the change from manufacturing to technology based novel economy has dramatically increased the sill level required to attain a job. Education prepares a superior workforce through providing instructional programs, lining instruction to needs of industry and business, and helps people to learn all through their lives. Teaching excellence acts as the key to a growing and strong regional and national economy. Education provides quality services and programs and consistently promotes these programs so as to ensure learning excellence and teaching. Efforts to promote economic growth are changing from tax based motivation to draw business to strategies which develop industry clusters that are designed to raise regional wealth and competitiveness. The success of industry clusters ids dependent upon technology and science capacity; the capability to develop international markets, availability of constant training and learning for employees and employers and mutual relationships amid capital, business, research and civic policy (Hanushnek, & Kimko, 2003). Education and social development The values, norms, ethics and attitudes that learning institutions impart to learners are the base of the social capital essential for the construction of healthy cohesive cultures and civil societies. Education is a primary human need as well as individual to knowledge. It empowers people and enables them to make decisions and regulate affairs of their own lives politically, economically and socially. Life without education and literacy is equal to life without security, freedom and hope because education is the base of all skills, knowledge and pre-requisite for economic growth and development. In addition, in contemporary societies literacy skills are essential to personal development, informed decision making and passive and active participation in global and local social community (Peaslee, 2005). Investment in education is beneficial to the society, individual and the whole world. Broad based learning of superior quality is amid the most influential instruments of reducing inequality and poverty. McMahon (2000) notes that with verified gains for personal health, education also strengthens the economic health of a nation through establishing a foundation for continued economic growth. For nations and individuals, education is the key to developing, applying and disseminating knowledge and thus a key to development of dynamic, internationally competitive economies. Tertiary, continuing and higher education plays an essential and an increasingly significant role in social, human and economic development. Education is fundamental at individual level in instilling manners and etiquettes. The most perceptible elements of human characters that are influenced by literacy teaching are self esteem, awareness and empowerment. With acquisition of education, people become more courageous and confident. The awareness generated among them due to the newly taught knowledge assist them to demonstrate confident and decisive behavior and they become highly active in their private and social activities (McMahon, 2000). Education empowers people to take personal and communal action in several contexts of their daily life such as community, household and workplace. Education has social outcomes that are significant goals for nationwide policy planning. Principally in developing countries, the gender dimensions of illiteracy due to lack of education has been raised because majority of low literate or uneducated people tend to be women. Education can assist transform the society through strengthening and improving communications, mobility, values, skills, freedom and personal prosperity. The practice of literacy and education people is instrumental in individual’s accomplishment of a variety of capabilities like maintenance of good health and longer lives, control of reproductive behavior and raising and educating healthy children. Educatiing people therefore have potentially huge social gains, such as reduced child mortality, increased life expectancy and improved life of children (Bils, & Klenow, 2000). The services of education in regard to social life are viewed in three aspects namely gender, reproductive health and equality. Gumport (2007) argues that the acquisition of education is beneficial in personal health. Principally powerful for women, it intensely influences reproductive health and improves child welfare and mortality via better nutrition and increased immunization rates. Education leads to health related behavior and knowledge. Education plays a very vital role in the eradication of gender inequality. Basic education plays a crucial function for people who have a high likelihood of becoming poor, entailing, ethnic minorities, girls, orphans, rural families and disabled people. The gender disparity between women and men is being reduced through offering both men and women equal educational opportunities and facilities. Education has enable women to become economical independent and to be greatly involved in management of finances of the household, a task that was in the past controlled by males. Education institutions are bridges for social collaboration, which promote strong networks, fuel charitable activities and promote extracurricular innovation and learning. The universal quality of the social infrastructure is a vital factor in effectiveness of institutions, firms and governments, assisting to nurter and transmits knowledge in production of services and goods and also acts as the base of a just community (McMahon, 2000). Education and political development Education is a vital instrument for creation of political awareness amid people. Azrael (2007) argues that it helps people to have an understanding of the nature and organization of governments in their nations and schemes for efficient communication with government for the remedy of their crisis. In regard to the connection between education and political development, it has been established that educated citizens are to a certain level more likely to go into election and vice more democratic values and tolerant attitudes. Educated people also participate in community action, national political life and trade unions, particularly when they are politically empowered through education (Azrael, 2007). Expansion of education have contributed to expansion of democracy and democratic education practices have become the most effective way of promoting civic knowhow and engagement among people.Through transmission of cultural norms and democratic values, education contributes to promotion of nation building, social cohesion and civic behaviours. This subsequently supports the strengthening and construction of social capital which is usually understood as benefits of membership in social networks that can guarantee accountability, offer access to resources and act as safety nets during crisis (Azrael, 2007). According to Schugerensky, (2002), the relationships, norms and institutions that surface from education are influential in affecting the quality of the interactions of a society, which underpin political, social and economic development. Social fragmentation, corruption and distrust have considerable costs that are usually difficult to resolve. Information sharing, sound governance and trust are significant economic agents that promote development via effective interaction. Firmly knit networks along with accountable societies that are developed and nourished in learning institutions offer significant venues for accessibility to opportunity and income. Higher education offers collaboration after and during graduation, connecting people across different sectors of the economy and linking them outside the formal networks. This collaboration can eventually stimulate civic engagement, promote government performance, and reduce the occurrence of social exclusion, corruption and inequality to the gain of the state, society and market (Schugerensky, 2002). Conclusion In conclusion, it is important to note that education plays a key role any form of development. Through education, people are equipped with skills and knowledge required in social, political and economic development. Education empowers and raises the quality of life and offers people with the capacity to develop their knowledge. It offers a base for development, the groundwork in which people’s social and economic welfare is built. Education strengthens the economic and social health of a country by establishing a foundation for constant economic growth. For individuals and states, education is the key to developing, utilizing and disseminating knowledge and is thus a key to the development of dynamic, globally competitive economies. References Saha, L., & Fagerlind, I., (2005). Education and national development: a comparative perspective. Oxford: Pergamon Press. McMahon, W., (2000). Education and development: Measuring the social benefits. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Gumport., P., (2007). Sociology of higher education: Contributions and their contexts. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press. Fields, G., (2000). Distribution and development: a new look at the developing world. London: MIT Press. Hanushnek, E., & Kimko, D., (2003). Schooling, labor force quality and the growth of nations. American Economic Review, 90(5), 1184-1208. Azrael, J., (2007). Education and political development. London: Princeton University Press. Bils, M., & Klenow, P., (2000). "Does Schooling Cause Growth?," American Economic Review, vol. 90(5), pages 1160-1183 Peaslee, A., (2005). Education’s role in development. Economic development and cultural change, 17(3): 293-318. Schugerensky, D., (2002). 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