The Importance and Values of Education

As a parent and educationist, my passion has always been and, is still to support children in achieving their maximum potential and achieving overall happiness!

I have worked with individuals from ages zero to about 21 years and have observed simple truths that are useful to their developmental needs and overall happiness.  My joy working with these individuals has mostly come from their own discoveries and achievements and not my teaching per se.  I believe that every individual is their own teacher and we are only directors and directresses who simply support their innate needs in the journey of learning.

In my opinion, education should reflect the core values of any society such that it can influence the society positively.  Every educational curriculum should include aspects reflecting moral, cultural, physical, social, spiritual, cognitive, emotional and language values for learning development.  The underlying aim of any educational system should be to support children, pupils and students in achieving their maximum potential.  Their well-being is the essence of education.  If these core values are embedded in the educational system and well taught, the individuals will then possess the key to equality of opportunity in a futuristic healthy and just society that breeds transparent democracy, dynamism and productivity that is developmentally sustainable in itself.

Our educational system should reflect diversity in all areas of life. For example in areas such as language, culture, religion to mention but a few, people need to be able to discover themselves and their identity.  They also should be able to value themselves, know their rights, respect others and be happy citizens.  This is the yardstick of measuring how successful the curriculum has imparted on the individuals who have passed through our educational system.

I hearty recommend that all areas of learning from early years to university or vocational education should have the following as a guideline and, in fact a rule.

• A stimulating and encouraging environment that seeks out the best progress in every individual.  This would lead to self-confidence, independence and good social skills.
• Materials and skills that enable individuals to be creative thinkers, enterprising, innovative, pro-active and problem solving people.  We cannot excel where there are ready made answers.  We need people in education to be masters of their own initiative.
• The curriculum should emphasize healthy lifestyle, safety and security, inclusion, integrity, beliefs, morals, social cultural development and challenge discrimination in every ramification of life.  This could help to bridge the gap in many areas like the economic aspect and the so called disabilities.
• The curriculum should include in its subjects, the importance of personal, local, national and global development.
• The individual should be taught to take responsibilities so as to make informed decisions and face challenges with zeal.

Finally, I recommend that is important that our educational curriculum embed in it the skill required to face future adult life and be responsible citizens.

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