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Why I Am an Education Pusher

The Importance of Education and Why Today's Children Need It the Most

By Erin CatrionaPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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They say knowledge is power. I couldn't agree more.

I am 16, I've just done my GCSEs (UK exams taken by students at the end of their final year of secondary), I came out with good results 7s, 8s, 9s (As, A*s, A**s) and now I am able to study the subjects I want to at A Level.

Was it a walk in the park? Not at all.

As a child, I loved reading and writing creative stories, but I also loved playing outside and climbing trees or riding my bike.

School began to set more and more homework and the digital age began to kick in. Us children would no longer play outside, instead, we became glued to our devices. My passion for extracurricular activities and school started to fade...I didn't see the point in studying history, its all in the past anyway. Geography? We have google maps for that. Maths, our phones have calculators. And English? Well, I can speak the language and my phone has spell check on it.

My interest in school diminished, Youtube and Netflix were far more interesting than the essays I had to write.

Soon it was time to choose my GCSE options...schools push academic subjects, they're not so favourable of the arts. Thus I opted for one arts subject the rest were considered more academic.

Maths, English, Science, Spanish, Geography, Business/Economics, Religious Studies, and Drama.

The pressure kicked in after some not so good end of year 10 exam results...I barely passed most of my subjects and knew things had to change. Year 11 rolls around and I'm willing to put the work in again. I did. And it paid off.

But why was my experience with education such a battle? The media. As a young impressionable teen/ pre-teen on the internet, I saw many of my favourite idols telling me education isn't that important. "I dropped out of school and look at me now." My favourite celebrities would tell me this as they sat in their million dollar mansions, dressed in designer garments.

It was only after my grades started slipping I was hit with a well-deserved reality check. I had no job, money, and I certainly wasn't rich and famous. Academic or not, qualifications are important. In the UK it is required you have a pass in both maths and English.

Children these days are being brainwashed by social media and influencers. Sure you can make a little cash off the internet from time to time but what happens after that? We can't guarantee how long platforms like Instagram and youtube will be promoting and relevant. The media is fickle and there could be a mob with pitchforks after you at any given moment.

Grades are forever. Relevancy is not.

The importance of education, even to a secondary level degree needs to be emphasised. Children these days think social media influencers are the way to go or being in gangs. I've seen people I know waste and ruin their lives because they didn't listen in school.

Granted, school isn't for everyone. But education is not synonymous with academic. Education can mean maths, English arts, etc. Children need to be guided into the right pathways. If someone enjoys art, guide them to an art pathway. If someone likes geography, guide them to a geography pathway.

Too many young lives are being ruined or wasted as they haven't been given the right guidance or opportunities. Education comes in all shapes and sizes. Whether it be manual, physical, art based or academic, education is important and we need to emphasise its importance.

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About the Creator

Erin Catriona

Student. I talk about things I love and issues that need to be raised!

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