By Kafoumba Doumbia
Columbia University
When I started thinking about why education is so important, I remembered my high school years when I used to spend almost five hours a month on math homework, wake up at 6:00 AM and get ready for my PSAL soccer game after school. I remembered my teachers, school subjects, the study and the fun! I never really hated school. But I have seen many of my peers who hated going to school; I have had some friends who did not like the idea of studying. Some needed to be up in summer school for recovery. I personally was always focused because I wanted to become a software engineer. I know it will be hard and very challenging. However I believe I can handle the challenge. The first thing that strikes me about education is knowledge gain. Education gives us a knowledge of the world around us and changes it into something better. It develops in us a perspective of looking at life. It helps us build opinions and have points of view on things in life. People debate over the subject of whether education is the only thing that gives knowledge. Some say education is the process of gaining information about the surrounding world while knowledge is something very different. They are right. But then again, information cannot be converted into knowledge without education. Education makes us capable of interpreting things, among other things. It is not just about lessons in textbooks. It is about the lessons of life. One thing I wish I can do is, to provide education for all: no child left behind and change the world for good!!
