The Role of Education in the US National Development (Essay Sample)

The Role of Education in the US National Development Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Course Number and Name Instructor Name Due Date The Role of Education in the US National Development In recent years, the role of education in the process of national development has been a subject of debate in various local and international forums. Fundamentally, education refers to a form of learning that entails the transfer of habits, skills, knowledge of a particular group of people from one generation to another through training, teaching, or research (Grant, 2017). Although education is often synonymous with school, it does not begin at these formal learning institutions. Notably, education starts at home as children imitate their parents, in society as people interact with one another, and in nature while exploring new things. Education is a crucial factor in US national development since it plays a critical role in increasing production, promoting social and national integration, and developing individual personality. Firstly, education contributes to national development through increased production. Essentially, education equips workers with the latest knowledge and skills, thus increasing national income (Ashraf & Hafiza, 2016). An enhanced human resource base is the backbone of economic progress and national development. For instance, the widespread poverty in African countries can be attributed to the generally uneducated population. Most of the infrastructural development in African nations is undertaken by European educated people. Notably, a developed polity has adequate human capital where every person contributes to enhancing social growth (Grant, 2017). The production of human resources is, therefore, a key indicator of America’s socio-economic development. Arguably, the US could not have the necessary human resource for development without education. Consequently, the US labor force needs to be through knowledge, skills, and training growth. Secondly, education is instrumental in promoting social and national integration. Fundamentally, social cohesion is crucial to achieving national integration, which bolsters the process of national development (Faiz, 2019). Notably, the US education system aims at strengthening the nation’s unity. The country’s school system brings multi-cultured students together, thus promoting mutual co-existence among learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. Through education, the US is, therefore, able to promote peaceful co-existence and national unity, leading to national development. Additionally, education helps people identify the requisite skills for eliminating unemployment, poverty, illiteracy, and other social problems. For instance, education helps to create jobs that help to keep the majority of the population employed. As a result, there would be decreased crime rates and increased cohesion in society to promote national development. Therefore, education enhances social and national integration, which leads to economic growth and development. Lastly, education helps to develop individual personalities that support national development. Notably, education facilitates a comprehensive advancement of individual personalities in various dimensions such as social, moral, emotional, and spiritual. It is these personality traits that contribute to national development (Faiz, 2019). Among the desirable individual qualities include self-confidence, attainment of self-sufficiency, devotion to duty, dedication, discipline and decency, social and ethical values, and the nurturing of positive attitudes towards integrity and unity of a nation...