What's The Use of Higher Education

Before the 70's, a university education was still relatively rare and difficult to come by in Malaysia. Such training belonged to a group of students who were classified as intelligent, disciplined and rather well-off unless they were on scholarships. Intellectual excellence formed their motive for securing a university degree.

Today, though it is true that this perspective still exists, it exists alongside another motive for higher education... that of obtaining better paid jobs after graduation. However, bosses are also smarter now and prefer to employ good workers than mere highly qualified degree holders who may not know how to apply what they have learnt. So what, after all, is the use of tertiary education?

If students are only meant to be industrially and economically productive, why bother about the insights discovered through studies and research in the arts and sciences?

A Christian student staff worker once said that tertiary education is to help make students thinkers so that God can use them to effect significant changes in homes, local churches and society at large, to His glory and praise! Therefore, those given such privilege must not take for granted that because they are supported by their parents or sponsors, they may do anything they like with their training. Even though that may be professionally and financially fruitful, they must not hide the talents He has given them for His purposes. Each person still needs to seek God's will related to his vocation and ministry; each is ultimately answerable to Him alone.

Father God, prevent us from burying and wasting the gifts of education that You give us in trust, we pray.
 
For Meditation and Prayer:
Matthew 25:15-28