Is Education Really That Important?

lexelle SG

In the times of our forefathers in Singapore, they managed to have a living through their own ways and survive.... Some can even get rich by biding their time and opportunity.

In these times, people always say that you can't get a good living if you are not in the paper chase, is that true and is it really that important to get a education so that you can get a better living for your next generations and a better life for yourself?

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Terence SG

yes, education is important today because of the evolution of professions or ways to carve out a living.

in the past, the reason our forefathers were able to do without much education and still attain wealth was because of mercantilism. trade and business did not require a specific education per se. observation, apprentiship and a reasonable amount of intelligence sufficed. even today, the engagement of mercantilism on a small scale does not require formal education. (think hawkers, retail traders etc.)

the advancement in various fields, i.e. finance, social sciences, medicine, science etc. require specific education in order to participate in them. even business or multi-national companies - a more advance version of mercantilism - requires formal education because of the complexities that global trading involves. being exposed to these fields means developing the competence to contribute to them. as raw mercantilism fades, intelligence alone will not account for much without specialised knowledge.

also life-enhancing knowledge like computer skills, advanced literacy and knowledge of global trends - all of which were not THAT important during our forefathers' time - require education.

cheers

Mind SG

Education is impt but not that impt. But bcos of how the education system works and the craze of a piece of paper, education is made much more impt than it really is.

If u are in knowledge based jobs, education will be more impt than in other fields.

Anyway whether a person will carve out a career depends not only on education, many other qualities are needed. Certificates are going to very impt if u intended to work in the civil sector cos somehow the govt places more emphasis on the paper rather than the ability of the person. My tutors have been advising me to take scholarships cos my future will be safeguarded as i will be guaranteed a job on return and even if i turn to be a flop, at least i still got a job. But i still decided not to take a scholarship.

If u are confident of ur own ability, try to start ur own business urself Smile dun place so much emphasis on education aspect alone, there are many other factors. Far sighteness is something which formal education cannot nurture in ppl.

[This message has been edited by Mind (edited 21 January 2000).]

alex SG

yes, education is very important. for a under-developed countries to get out of the cycle of poverty, giving them aid is only short term, education can help the country to grow and prosper.

Chief SG

Education?

Of course its important.

I think the more important question is... is the education system we have here in Singapore effective?

I personally think the system here sucks. It stifles you. (just like NS)

Wink

lexelle SG

Chiefy:

How effective is effective? As you know, different people have different ways of getting infected.

If effective is effective, where does all the school drop-outs come from?

Anyway, I wonder how many percent of the multi-millionaires in these times now have a certificate or degree or something like that?

Haiz....

Dreamz FM SG

Education is not soooo important in a sense tt u dun really need that to be able to survive on land.Reason as to why it will become so important is becos of society needs,it is the society tt makes it so important that now most jobs go for tt and tt's why people gotta strive 4 tt...sianz
if education could be make more hyper and more enjoyable,think it will serve a more worthwhile purpose rather than we study 4 the sake of studying.

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Dreamz FM -- Meng Fei Chuan

lexelle SG

Hm...

Even if we have the right systems, do you think that the level of people succeeding in life will be the ones with good education?

Or the ones who don't really have any education but strive harder to compensate for their lack?

Very Happy

I rest my case, since no one wants to reply.

P.S. Chief: Close this thread

:p

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*(^_^)*

adrian xtc SG

No comment.

[This message has been edited by adrian xtc (edited 15 March 2000).]

lexelle SG

Eh,

Surprise surprise~!

Very Happy

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*(^_^)*

TheInvisibleOne SG

All in all, I think that as time goes on, we see the automation of all the more common and repetitive tasks. The value of humans in such areas is lowered drastically as inventions (including computers and processes) can do the work more efficiently. Human resources become necessary only for the "frontlines", where the changes are occuring.

I would like to raise an issue at this point. As we know, higher education is still a luxury in many societies, and what happens most of the time is the need to provide the uneducated masses with a job keeps wages low, and stunts technological improvment in the progress. There has been no move to make educators rich, specifically, but I have the feeling that societies can jumpstart themselves out of the cycle if academics and economics can somehow be welded more tightly. It is somehow related to the "copy problem", how information is the root cause of progress because it does not obey conservation laws, but yet stunting progress by putting restrictions on duplication is the only way to make people innovate.

AngelDark SG

Education is important, but in sg, ppl wif high level of education may not make it big. All they r, is juz being some kinda snob, and thinks that they shld be provided.
u noe.........

I really think the education sys here is screwed up, making it so competetive for the kids at such an early age.......
is that what we really want?
a competetive nation ( no e.q.)
or a thinking nation ( no i.q.)
or juz a studying nation ( no e.q., and i.q.)

Ivan SG

Knowledge is power. Our government has stressed to us on many occasions that our economy is knowledge-based. But how do you learn and gather knowledge except through education? I agree with Chief that the important thing is whether our education system is effective. An education system that only emphasise on academic results will only produce a bunch of nerds. In fact, our government has been studying (again?!) other countries' education system and try to incorporate the nurturing of creative and independent thinking into our education system. However, I have left school for too long to notice the changes.

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I didn't know that Chief is the Sex God

[This message has been edited by Ivan (edited 24 April 2000).]

moose SG

Yes,knowledge and education is important,but how does the person utilise his education and the knowledge he is accumulated is more important,some people may be very knowledgable,but dunno how to use it effectively thus stifling what could have succeeced while someone who utilises his limited knowledge to the maximum will will have suceeded,so it will seem that education is not important if a person knows how to use his education wisely while a person who is smart and educated and does not use his knowledge wisely will not succeed,whether the person uses it wisely or not is up to individual and cannot be taught or forced.After all,you can bring a horse to the water,but you cannot force a horse to drink, Smile ))

Ivan SG

I thought it’s “if the cow don’t want to drink water there’s no way to press its head down” hehehe

maestro SG

Yes it is important, i believe our eductaional system is effective to provide the foundations for us to proceed further in live. Up till Sec school, our system stress on eng, sci and maths is to help us understand the simple stuff and provie a base for us to launch into other topics like computers, medicine and other stuff. Imagine ur doctor and lawyers than cant read? as for the higher studies like polys & uni have many engineering cos bcos our nation needed lots of such talent but goverment is opening up to more relax learning but the parents are the one forcing their kids…... sad

moose SG

I understand the need to teach basics in sec and pri school,but i dun understand is there a need to teach advance subjects like calculus to all the students in sec school as i am sure that not all are going to apply it when they go JC or poly Smile ))

maestro SG

Well if u can apply it then it give u an added advatage in ur further studies but u have more than enuff subject to let u pass Os rite

lexelle SG

Hm...

Interesting... thanks for the comments...

*ponders*

Very Happy

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Yes¿ No¿ Maybe¿

blurfreak SG

If we do not have education in sg,what do we 'survive' on in future??? 'Bread & water, Har???!!??