There is no consensus on whether the purpose of education is to benefit society or individuals . In this essay, I will delve into both perspectives and give reasons for my support of latter view.
On the one hand, some intellectuals opine that the aim of schooling is to favor learners and I concur with this assertion considering the following benefits that education can give individuals. First and foremost, if people are employed because of the certificate they obtained in various institutions, they will be collecting salary and other incentives which they can use to achieve their personal ambitions. A substantial number of Nigerians who constructed exceptional buildings and live affluent lives are those working with reputable organizations such as Dangote and Olam, thanks to the school certification that gives them the opportunity to be working with good enterprises that will be paying them reasonably. In addition, literates are well-informed, civilized and aware of their prerogative as citizens due to their exposures in school environment.
On the other hand, the opponent of the above mentioned view argue that the aim of education is to benefit the society. This is because after university education, graduates are employed to work in different sectors such as education, health and social departments which are integra part of every society. According to an unpublicized survey conducted by Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Kwara State, Nigeria, it was discovered that the main reason for the funding of education by government is for students to pay back to their communities. Hence, the purpose of education is to nurture individuals that will benefit the society.
In conclusion, although there are valid arguments on both sides, however, I believe that the ambition is to be advantageous to citizens due to endless merits that accompany being a possessor of an education certificate.