The greater aim of education is action, not knowledge. Discuss with context to your society.

In an increasingly diverse, globalized, and complex world we live in today, educations purpose has changed from being the basic provider of knowledge to the teaching of crucial life skills and applications of knowledge. It is no longer adequate for a student to simply possess a stockpile of in-depth knowledge that he has gleaned from a textbook or memorized form notes, there is greater emphasis on how such knowledge can be applied to real life situations and used to solve unseen problems. Education today provides us with the ability to act in the face of different situations we might encounter, through for example honing our critical thinking skills and awareness of the world. This essay will discuss how education leads to action and not mere acquisition of knowledge, through preparing students for future employment, encouraging a greater awareness in students concerning world issues such that they may be able to take action concerning them, and also to allow citizens to act wisely and make better, informed decisions. Education in Singapore and many developed countries prepares students for future employment, which is an important application of the knowledge that students gain from school. For example, almost all schools in Singapore have major exams every quarter year and a study showed that 98.4 % of students remained in schools to graduate or obtain degrees. Schools emphasize highly on assessments and examinations, which are capable of ensuring a students competency in a topic taught. This ensures that students learn basic knowledge that they will require when obtaining a job. Schools also provide students who are capable with credentials, which they can later use to better secure a job, since they will appear more competent than fellow job candidates. Employment allows students to use knowledge they have learnt in school and apply them effectively into benefitting society and the economy of the nation. Thus, educations greater purpose can be said to prepare students for employment, an application of knowledge. Education allows citizens in an increasingly globalized world to be more aware of global or state issues which require the participation of every citizen to solve. National education is necessary in all schools, where students are taught their countrys history so as to facilitate better understanding, so that they might contribute into either preventing similar instances from occurring or that they may be able to come up with solutions to them. One example is National education in Singapore, where students were told of the racial and religious riots that occurred through our streets shortly after Singapores independence, the Hock Lee bus riots, in 1955 and the Maria Hertogh riots in 1950 specifically. This encourages us to embrace ethnic and religious diversity in our diverse society, such that these incidents may never happen again. It also discourages discrimination and disruptive behavior, such as riots or strikes, in Singapore. With such awareness, Singapore has been able to prevent any further racial or religious conflict up till today. Moreover, global awareness of issues such as the possibility of terrorism, increasing global temperatures and food shortage in poorer countries has led the participation of many citizens worldwide to solve or minimize these problems. For example, nearing the anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy that occurred in New York City and Washington DC in America, students in schools were reminded with the history of September 11 to ensure that they know terrorism is always a possible threat, citizens all over the world are also aware of this possible threat through the news and are educated to know they are not necessarily safe. This has led to many governments all over the world to conduct increasingly stringent airport checks and inspect the inflow of goods through exports to their countries from suspected countries. From this, it is clear that through education of world issues, action can be taken against them, and as it is important to minimize such problems, educations greater aim is therefore for action. Education allows for maturity in thinking and decision making. This will enable citizens to make better decisions when taking stands or when deciding to follow the norm. For example, education in a globalized world has allowed for a wider and more diverse view towards societal roles for men and women. In the past, women were expected to be housewives, to clean the house and take care of the children. Nowadays, education has taught women that this is an unfair bias and women today go to work and have a hand in running the family. This has allowed for change and progress in societies which accept such viewpoints. Education has changed these womens lives and has allowed them to take action. Another example is through Wikileaks that has currently supplied the world with a lot of information on the issues that states keep secret mostly in order to protect themselves. This has allowed citizens to protest against their government as they are now more aware of the true side of the political systems they have trusted to run the country. This will lead to change and action taken against those who abuse privileges or are corrupted. Thus, education which led to awareness of such issues has led to change and a possibly improvements in the lives of many, educations purpose is therefore more for the taking of action rather than mere acquisition of knowledge. As the saying, its not what you know, its who you are that counts goes, education should aim for action rather than simply increasing knowledge and it does so by allowing citizens to take action in their lives. It has prepared students for employment, increased awareness of global issues and threats so that they can be resolved and aided in the improvement of lives in many, therefore the greater aim of education can be said to be for action rather than just knowledge.