Role of Education in Civilizing Man Kind

Education refers to activities that impart knowledge or skill. It can be defined as the process by which society deliberately transmits its accumulated knowledge, values, and skills from one generation to another through institutions or otherwise. The evolution of Education arised from the human struggle for survival and enlightenment. Education in the pre historic times was informal. Informal education means the general social process by which human beings acquired the knowledge and skills needed to function in their culture. Formal education is the process in which teachers instruct students in courses of study within institutions. Education might draw on many subjects, including reading, writing, mathematics, science and history.

Evolution of Education

Before Education became Formal i.e. when reading and writing were not invented, people used to live in an environment where they had to struggle to survive against natural forces, animals, and other humans. To be able to survive, people developed their own skills which grew into cultural and educational patterns. These skills were passed on from adults to children for the benefit of their future. Gathering food, providing shelter; making weapons, tools learning language, acquiring the values, behaviour and religious practices were the man's earliest educational processes.

Informal education was thus used by parents, elders, and priests taught children the skills they would need as adults. Eventually, these lessons became the moral codes of behaviour. People in those times developed and used an oral tradition, or story telling, to pass on their culture and history from one generation to the next. By using language, people learned to create and use symbols, words, or signs to express their ideas. When these symbols grew into pictographs and letters, human beings created a written language and made the great cultural leap to literacy. When cultures began to extend their knowledge beyond the basic skills of communicating, trading, gathering food, religious practices, etc. formal education and schooling eventually followed. The schooling that emerged was first witnessed in Egypt between 3000 and 500BC.

Role of Education in Civilising Mankind

Education is provider of information, imagination, knowledge, ideas, values, ethics and reasoning. It brings refinement when it adds to intelligence of man and therefore makes man an independent and confident person. Education is a blessing which has been granted only to the human beings as animals cannot be equipped with education. The implication of is not restricted only to reading and writing but it also extends to thinking, learning, reasoning, practical experiences and so on. Education has the power to change the world and transform an entire civilization.

Education has made man a developed being form his prehistoric hunting life. Man has not only advanced on personal level but now he has the skills to develop others lives as well.

Mankind is no more a slave to Nature.When ignorance prevailed he was afraid of it and now he is not afraid to utilise nature's resources to the optimum.

Education is a harbinger of good health. The advancement in science mankind does not suffer from epidemics like he used to do. Diseases are now in control thereby improving the health of mankind.

Technological revolutions backed by education have made our lives easy and comfortable. Electricity and mechanisation facilitates major of our works, now.

Man has been able to reach moon and has discovered various planets which were non existent before. Education also provides a possible opportunity to utilise other planets for the benefit of mankind.

Education has also broadened our outlook and imagination in all aspects of human life which was narrow and low. This broader outlook and imagination has broken the shackles of superstition and other social problems thereby strengthening the character of a man.

Education has a tremendous impact on the society. The type of educational system adopted defines the growth of society. The quality of the society is also dependent on the quality of educational system implemented. Quality education builds character, values, ethics, and prepares the society and country in building a character worth remembering.

Development of a nation cannot be achieved without proper education. Development of an individual is attached to education. So higher the percentage of educated people, higher the percentage of manpower and the end result is the development of a nation.

Education brings experience. An individual who is educated, knows the things because he has acquired the Know-How to use. He tends to make a few mistakes in his life. Where as an individual who uneducated tends to make more mistakes because he does not know have the Know-How. Therefore the educated is far more successful than an uneducated man as education makes life easier, simpler and comfortable.

Education is an effective tool to bridge the gap between the industry and academics. Employment opportunities are abundant for those who have the power of education.

Education is the most powerful weapon which can be used to revolutionise the world. There is a very old saying, according to which 'Pen is mightier than sword'. And the might of pen lies in Education which makes education a superior weapon. Education when influences technology then it is like a ' Icing on the cake' and it can bring unimagined and unbelievable miracles in the society as a whole.