education...is it ever enough?

IS education really important?
According to ‘Dictionary.com’, education means knowledge or skills obtained or developed by a learning process. In Latin, it means to train, to raise or to bring up.
Some argue education begins even before birth, via the actions of the parents which results in the child picking up a thing or two. This is how the process of education started, when the adults taught the younger ones on how to hunt, to pick fruits and even to make fire.
Nevertheless, there are many forms of education, loosely divided between formal and in formal education. Formal education, as in a proper schooling system, was evident in Egypt between 3000 and 500BC. Chinese students strived to make an impact as during the 200BC the imperial examination system was introduced. These are the very few instances which show formal education has made an impact ever since civilisation was born.
In fact, in most well governed nations, education plays top priority due to the fact it affects the public (or better known as the voters). Nevertheless, in today’s society, education is interpreted as being a scholar. The paper chase has made such an impact that society today view education in the sense of completing a certain requirement in order to obtain a certain qualification. This is best said as the paper chase.
While the numbers of applicants to universities begin to increase, the reasoning could be due to the increasing population. Nevertheless, many would argue the standards of education or the fact of acquiring education today is not as prestige compared to decades ago. Also, the paper chase mentality has created some societies (especially Asians) into examination monsters, whereby every single sense of education is only with regards to the examinations and nothing else. Thus, this explains the lacking of a thinking society. Foreigners love to invest here for two reasons; the value of our currency (compared to the American Dollar) and good workers. The term good workers here simply mean Asians are good workers but are never ambitious to become bosses. It will be wrong to generalise as some Asians have made it big. In Malaysia itself we have several big names who have made it into the richest bloke list as well.
Nevertheless, the concept of education via examinations is totally wrong and there is a dire need to change the concept. It is strange actually to see most Chinese and Indian parents forcing education upon their off springs with tuition classes coupled with piano and drama recitals. Guess it is part of the Asian culture as the Chinese then strived to make it into the imperial administration while the Indians felt government officers led a more stable and secured life. These are the same group of people who would shun the government service upon graduating.
Upon graduation, some pursue a masters degree, hoping to obtain a five figured pay scale only to be disappointed with interviews stating they are ‘over qualified’. Then these same group of people claim injustice as they have been played out by so called ‘unqualified or uneducated’ peers.
Such a judgement is very shallow as at times education cannot be obtained within the four walls of a classroom. In today’s job market, many industry see the need to have a more hands on approach, thus communication and body skills are instrumental. Also, diplomacy helps in the office environment filled with politicking.
To be fair to fresh graduates, companies too ought to change their policy in allowing room for graduates to learn the relevant fields. Clauses in adverts stating ‘at least 2 years experience’ ought to be removed and they ought to realise if they don’t give them a chance, who will.
All said and done, education is important, whether formal or otherwise. One should not be degraded just because he has no certificates or graduation photos pinned up in the house. Also, graduates ought to lower their expectations and believe everything good is an added bonus instead. Only then, will our unemployed graduates realise jobs are aplenty in the market and their arrogance and ignorance has cause them a spot in ‘enjoying’ working life.

-The Man Who Sold The World-