“Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself “

Education is the imparting of knowledge, which helps individuals realize their potential, which is the ultimate purpose of life. Lord Buddha, after attaining enlightenment, fulfilled the purpose of his life and entered a state of bliss.

Historically, the importance of education was realized in India since Vedic times through Vedic scriptures. Schools like Nalanda and Taxila, during ancient times, imparted knowledge so people could live a fulfilled life.

In modern times, this system of education became a privilege of the rich and the upper class. As a result, the downtrodden, deprived of education, lived a life of misery and marginalization. Without education, their life itself lost purpose.

During the British era, education was neglected, leading to widespread misery and poverty. The illiteracy rate was high, and by the time of Independence, our literacy rate was 11%. Post-Independence, the need for education in fulfilling life was realized as it impacted every facet and sector of life.

Starting from society, the family forms the most basic unit. Education prevents ill practices like dowry, domestic violence, and alcohol abuse, which helps in the peaceful and happy existence of the family and thus life itself.

Our society consists of various sections of people following various occupations. For example, an educated farmer will make smart decisions on agriculture. He will increase productivity and raise his income, allowing him to lead a better and improved quality of life.

Whether it is a farmer or a doctor, everyone belongs to the same nation. This idea of unity, integrity, and feeling of nationalism is a result of education that creates a sense of togetherness and builds a nation full of prosperity and life.

For any nation to grow, it is important to achieve rapid economic growth. Financial literacy will lead to individuals making smart choices, improving savings, and contributing to the national GDP. Fiscal discipline by the government will allow them to take welfare measures that will raise the quality of life of citizens.

In the age of digital governance, faster economic growth is aided by Information and Technology. Digital literacy can go a long way in improving the quality of life of citizens. For example, booking train tickets online helps avoid wastage of time.

Technological education has led to the emergence of scientific temper among people. This has allowed us with unimaginable discoveries like vaccines for polio. As per WHO, smallpox has been eradicated from the world. All of this has raised the life expectancy of humans and improved the quality of life.

While scientific education has improved our lives, education about disaster management has helped save them. Early warning systems have helped in the early evacuation of people from vulnerable areas, thereby saving countless lives.

The intensity, frequency, and patterns of disasters around the world are greatly impacted by climate change. Environmental education will help us balance our needs with the conservation of nature, leading to sustainable development. Since without nature, there is no life; there is no us.

Education goes beyond just environmental conservation. On the international level, education allows us to realize the importance of peace over war. The benefits of world trade and cooperation for establishing world peace are necessary for the survival of human life anywhere.

It is found that in most war-torn countries, the state of education is dismal. People in Syria, Sudan, and Afghanistan cannot enjoy their life due to the absence of education and peace. While wars damage their present, the lack of education impairs their future life.

We have seen how education impacts not just different parts of life but life itself. While the importance of education is clear, we also have to look at the challenges we face while imparting education.

Perhaps the biggest challenge to education is to ensure equity. Due to high inequalities in the world, education, or rather quality education, is a privilege of the rich. Poor people and marginalized sections of society like scheduled caste and scheduled tribes still face challenges in both affordability and accessibility.

The next challenge comes in the form of gender gap. Female literacy is lower than male literacy in India. Moreover, female labor force participation has also seen a decline in the last few years. This leaves around half of our population with a lower standard of life.

Another challenge that grips education is the lack of quality infrastructure across India. The regional disparity has led to some states having lower per capita income [Bihar, UP] than the national average. This means people have a lower quality of life in these states.

To address these challenges, the Government of India has taken various steps. The historic Right to Education Act and Article 21A provide for universal education in India. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan aims to bridge the gender gap.

Recently, the government has come out with the National Education Policy 2019 which proposes increasing investment to 6% of GDP. All such steps are continuously working towards ensuring that education is provided to all. The future of civilization depends on the ability of our young minds to unlock their potential, and education is the key to the lock.