Education is one of the most important pillars of national growth and development. Media has a vital role to play in its growth in the country.
We all are very much aware of the importance of education in the development and growth of society. Every nation and every country are striving to increase their literacy rates for a better-educated population.
The importance of Education for all
Education is seen as a way of empowering the people with the knowledge to work and move ahead in life. It is essential for any type of profession that can be employed for earning a decent living. Whether education is in the form of degrees or in the form practical training, some kind of skill development is associated with it.
Keeping in view the importance of education for the growth and development of a country, governments make a lot of efforts in this sector. All across the globe, public and private sectors work together to increase the literacy numbers and improve the educational systems.
The spreading of education and professional knowledge is dependent on a number of factors and components in the society. Media is one of these very critical yet effective mediums for increasing the outreach for educational systems.
Media is a two-pronged weapon: Mass media has been seen as both as beneficial as well as disadvantageous forms of medium for spreading education. According to some critics, if utilized in the assignment writing manner it can help grow the numbers of literacy in a given geographic location. But at the same time, the distracting elements of this media can also lead to wastage of time and distracting students from the goal of accomplishing knowledge education
The love-hate relationship: So we see that there is a kind of a love-hate relationship between media and education. Television, radio, newspaper and the Internet, all can be used for spreading large amounts of educational content and information and benefit students in many ways. But at the same time, they can also lead the students towards useless activities and even misdirect them towards rebellious intentions and thoughts.
It is, therefore, necessary for the governments and regulating bodies of all countries and states to keep a strict watch on the content circulated and conveyed by these media channels and direct them towards positive and constructive educational material.
Ways media can play a positive role in spreading education
Although there are some drawbacks of media when it comes to education and literacy, the positive role it plays in spreading education cannot be ignored. Below are some ways education is benefitted through mass media of various forms:
- Print media like newspapers are circulated in every region and part of the world, in their local languages. It helps educate people about the current affairs and what new is happening around the world. It is a cheap yet effective means to increase the education.
- Electronic media allows broadcasting various programs and television shows that can be useful for educating people about various subjects. In many developing countries specialized telecasts are ensured for providing training workshops and videos to the professionals for various fields to enhance their skills and knowledge.
- Spreading information about schools, colleges and the importance of attaining education in every corner of the country is possible through these mass media channels. It helps increase awareness in people about what efforts are being made to educate their children and how can they avail them.
- Governments can run infomercials and special programs to encourage and motivate their citizens to educate not only their children but also themselves to adult education programs.
- The Internet is playing a vital role in increasing the spread of education through online educational systems and programs. It allows students to access educational resources and institutes even from remote locations around the world.