Purpose of education

Self-discovery and freedom

Hi everyone,

Welcome to the first edition of my newsletter. Every Friday, I send out a newsletter where I share my thoughts and insights on parenting, education, and self-awareness.

This week we are diving into the purpose of education.

Can learning be liberating?

I had always considered education a tool that enables you to secure a reputable job in the real world. After all, it is the end goal of our education system.

Sadly, students have less control over their learning because our education system is designed to meet industry requirements. This also influenced my definition of education. 

My free, independent, and interest-based learning started after I graduated. That was the first time I started acquiring concepts based on my interests.

Without the pressure of exams, grades, and judgments - I was free to decide what, when, and with whom I wanted to learn any topic.

Taking charge of your own education is the best and most liberating feeling ever.

My definition of education has changed.

Now, for me, education is a tool for self-discovery and freedom.

If your education is not helping you learn about yourself, it is anything except education. Learning about yourself includes everything related to you, your emotions, behaviors, people, and ideas that spark curiosity in your life.

I love how John Taylor Gatto has described education as a tool to teach you how to live and how to die.

“Whatever an education is”, Gatto says, “it should make you a unique individual, not a conformist; it should furnish you with an original spirit with which to tackle the big challenges; it should allow you to find values which will be your roadmap through life; it should make you spiritually rich, a person who loves whatever you are doing, wherever you are, whomever you are with; it should teach you what is important, how to live and how to die.”

In my eyes, the goal of education should be to make you a FREE human.

I want to be a FREE human. I want to raise a FREE human.

More on the purpose of education

Interestingly, there is no single agreed-upon purpose of education. Everyone has a different understanding of it based on social class, circumstances, and life experiences. Here are some worth checking links.

Four core purposes of education

7 minutes | edutopia

We all live in two worlds - the world within you, and the world around you - the core purpose of education is to enable you to understand both. Sir Ken Robinson has categorized education into four purposes - Personal, Cultural, Economic, and Social.

👉 Read the post

The purpose of education

2 minutes | kinginstitute (Stanford)

“We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education. A complete education gives one the power of concentration and worthy objectives upon which to concentrate.”

👉 Read the post

Let’s connect 🤝

I would love to hear your definition of the purpose of education. What motivates you to learn?

Until next week,

Aimen