Education as Vital Development Contributor of a Country (Essay Sample)

Education as Vital Development Contributor of a Country
Isaac N Mwangi
FreelanceWritingCenter
Education as Vital Development Contributor of a Country
The development status of a country is gauged by various factors such as education, political stability, infrastructure, health, and good governance among others. It is difficult to trace the success of a developed country to just one sector. Nevertheless, there is a general conscience that education remains at the top of critical factors that shape the development of a country. Many developed countries can attest to the fact that education is vital for their development status. Such is the importance of education that the United Nations set access to primary education as one of the eight millennium development goals (MDGs) to be achieved by 2015 (Center for Global Development, 2002). Even though other factors are critical to development, education is the single most important factor because it empowers people, improves people’s lifestyle, and promotes the spirit of entrepreneurship among the residents.
Education is the only way an individual can gain important skills, knowledge, and expertise required the modern work setting. Ilhan Ozturk in the article “The Role of Education In Economic Development: A Theoretical Perspective” argues that education is a vital contributor of a nation’s productivity (2001). It is through education that a nation is able to develop human capital, which is vital for development. It is though education that a nation is able to produce professionals equipped with skills needed to solve modern day challenges. It gives people the opportunity to work in better paying jobs thus improving their standards of living.
Education improves the standards of living of a nation in more than one ways. Ozturk (2001) establishes a direct correlation between education and improved income. In essence, the amount of income that someone earns is directly proportional to the level of education achieved. Educated people live a good lifestyle when compared to those who have only achieved basic literacy skills. The Center for Global Development (2002) reports that in many poor countries an individual is likely to have 10% increase in salary with each additional year spent in school. When people earn improved income, they are able to access improved health care, drive luxurious cars, and buy spacious houses among others. This is a reflection of a the development status of a country.
An educated person has a higher probability of exploring entrepreneurial opportunities when compared to an individual with basic education skills. Such an individual is able to explore numerous investment opportunities, which helps to boost the economy of a country. Education inspires people to establish business opportunities that promote trade both locally and internationally. Ozturk (2001) argues that education lead to knowledge accumulation, which improves competitiveness and trade performance. Entrepreneurs need to be equipped with the right information and technological knowhow in order to thrive in the modern economic times. It is no wonder that most educational institutions have special courses aimed at teaching entrepreneurial skills. Entrepreneurship will in the long run improves the developme...