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Education should only be concerned with what is useful in life. Discuss.

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Education should only be concerned with what is useful in life. Discuss.

Education is championed to be the solution of many prevailing problems society is facing today. An overarching view of education can be seen as a way in which people gain knowledge, information and understanding, and learn new skills. One can safely say that the breadth and depth of what can be learned cannot be finished in a lifetime and thus it often forces educators to sieve out and choose areas that are deemed useful in society today. Yet, it must also be recognized that usefulness, as defined by society, is subjected to constant change, due to ever-evolving contexts and perspectives. Hence education cannot be allowed to only be concerned with what is deemed …show more content…

This can be seen especially in formal education programs like public school systems. Education systems in South Korea and Singapore have been commended on their success at comparatively high results and its major role in contributing to economic development. However, education systems like these are also often criticized for hindering learning. As Mark Twain once said, “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” There have been ongoing concerns that overloading students with work and exam preparations could threaten the students' health and emotions. Organisation for Economic and Development (OECD) ranked South Korean elementary, middle, and high school students the lowest in terms of happiness compared to other OECD countries. Even in Singapore, critics of the education system state that the education system in Singapore is too specialized, rigid, and elitist. Hence, when the education system is created in a way where it becomes mainly focus on what is deemed practical in today’s society, learning may become somewhat shallow.

It must also be recognized that learning need not be confined to a single educational platform. The way one can be educated comes in various forms – formal, informal and non-formal or quasi formal. As one learns to broaden how he or she is being educated, regardless of its seeming relevance, the door of options and opportunities will naturally be widened

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