OPINION: A Clear Eye for Education

From Motley.ie: My formal educational experience began somewhat in-extraordinarily and quite like anyone else's in this country of ours; I entered junior infants at the age of about five.

As a naïve, keen infant, I stepped through the doors of an ordinary, archetypal primary school, ready to begin my education. Armed with an open mind and a childish innocent, I journeyed through each progressive stage, completing the syllabus, performing what was required of me, all the while being subconsciously reassured (and then consciously aware as I entered second level) that success at each stage afforded progression to the next, always towards some tangible goal.

I was always striving, always reaching for that “end result” of education; be it freedom, the dream job, or entering the “real world.”

This is the purpose of education, is it not? It is common belief that a college or third level education is the key to upward mobility, maximising your income, and beginning your adult life. And while all of these statements do hold some validity, I must tenaciously contend this viewpoint for I believe we have lost our perception of what the purpose of education is; particularly a third level education.

Nowadays, people are more ambitious than ever; science is more advanced than ever, and some would argue that education is at its prime. So after all this I find myself asking, why are people more ignorant than ever? Our perception of education is flawed and an alternative discourse of what its purpose is needs to be discerned.

“What do I do with my life?” The pressing question on each and every Leaving Cert student’s mind.

The rest of this article can be read on Motley.ie