Education is globally acknowledged as both a fundamental human right and the foundation stone for all kinds of development. It is the prime driving force of transformation towards sustainable development by intensifying the capacities of people to materialise their visions for society into reality.

It is an essential tool for improving a nation’s ability to develop and achieve sustainability targets, and making the world more livable for the future generation.

Furthermore, education is a key to achieve many different development goals. It helps people to develop attitudes, skills, and knowledge to make precise decisions for the benefit of themselves and others, for the future, and to execute those decisions. 

A country that provides compulsory and free access to quality education for all of its citizens is obviously on the way to reduce poverty, promote economic growth, control population growth, lower child and maternal mortality, enhance women empowerment, ensure gender equality, and achieve social inclusion which ultimately paves the way for sustainable development.

Education plays a positive role to enhance human capacity for productivity. Evidence shows that development activities and plans for sustainable future are hindered in countries which have low basic education rates.

If the education level is low, the economy of that country is focused on extraction of resources from nature, which ultimately leads to environmental degradation and poses threats for the future generation. Higher education is required to create jobs and industries that are “greener” and more sustainable.

Education has a crucial role in increasing the agricultural production of a country. Literate farmers know the scientific and effective ways of cultivating lands and growing crops. They can easily adapt to new methods of agriculture, prepare and use natural manure, and effectively utilise chemical fertiliser and pesticides in fewer amounts.

They know the appropriate timing and techniques for sowing seeds, cleaning weeds, using manures, controlling pests, and harvesting and processing crops. They know the strategies of preventing food losses, and storing and marketing them.

They are well aware of the techniques of preserving seeds for the next season. Women are also major contributors to agricultural production, especially food production, and women who receive education play a significant role in this context.

Controlling population growth is badly needed for the move toward sustainability. Without educating people, the birth rate can’t be controlled. Educated parents can easily understand the benefit of a planned family.

An educated girl is aware of the drawback of marriage before gaining physical maturity. She also partakes in the decision of having children and the number of children, and keeping the family size small.

A literate mother ensures necessary healthcare services and education for both of her son and daughter. Education, thus, reduces fertility rates, controls population growth, and ceases the threat of overpopulation.

It is education that can transform the population of a country into an asset through training and skills development. Vocational education is very effective in this case. Skilled manpower can accelerate the productivity of any country in many ways.

The need for skilled manpower can be felt all over the world. If a country invests adequate money in quality education – especially vocational and technical education – the population of that country will obviously be transformed into resources, and the country will never lag behind.

These skilled and trained human resources will find jobs either in the country or beyond the border of the country, which will boost up the economy of their country, and the country will step ahead towards sustainability.

Education plays a significant role in ensuring the personal growth of a child. It develops a sense of understanding and community among the children, which transforms them into socially-concerned citizens. It enhances their knowledge, skills, and social responsibility that make them the caregivers of the Earth for the future generation.

It develops the sense and capacity in the children to love their mother planet, to utilise the world’s resources responsibly, and it makes them realise that the world’s opportunities and resources are not infinite. 

So, it is essential to ensure that all the children of the world are provided with learning opportunities and have access to quality education to ensure a sustainable future for the world.

Source: dhakatribune