what is the purpose of education?
a pupils’ eye view
Over the week before half-term, I asked several of my classes the question “what is the purpose of education?”
The following are the unedited answers, in no particular order.
to get a good job
to learn new things
to have fun learning
to get grades for a good job
to achieve good grades & qualifications for university & a
good job
to get the job I want
to learn about the world around you
so we can all live better lives
to make other peoples’ lives easier
so we can understand the mysteries of the universe
to prepare yourself for life
to achieve our goals in life
to enable us to succeed and fulfil our dreams
education > success
to gain qualifications, to get a good job and live a happy life
education > more job opportunities > better quality of life
to give people ideas from which they can determine their future
to provide a foundation for lifelong learning
to have fun
to meet new people
how to lead a life full of love, fun and success
to make us aware of the outside world for when we are adults
there is no purpose*
* as in “education is the means and the end in itself”