What important lessons in life are learned away from school?

Education plays a pivotal role in the life of any person. Some think that learning is done primarily in school. It is true that educational institutions have been so entwined with the process of learning where students learn languages and a variety of other subjects to learn how to communicate and analyze. However, important lessons outside school are also important to develop skills in us to prepare us for the future.

One of the most important lessons that school cannot teach is morality. School cannot and will not be the yardstick of right and wrong. To be a person of integrity, one could probably attend a religious institution and learn the principles of upright living. To be morally upright would definitely help one to be a better person and grant him the inner peace that he needs for daily living. Living by the religious principles such as the Proverbs in the bible would also be able to guard him from committing follies that can be avoided.

Another important lesson that one can learn outside school is the skills of financial planning. Although school teaches the calculation of figures, it does not teach us how these figures would affect us financially in our lives. By learning to budget wisely, one would not end up in unnecessary debts. It is not uncommon to find young adults under a huge credit-card debt. To avoid such dire situations, one needs to learn the discipline to save, invest and spend wisely so that there will be wealth accumulation and funds set aside for a rainy day.

Beside financial planning, we must learn lessons of hardship and perseverance. Without such values, one would be easily set back by failures. Hence, taking vacational jobs to earn some pocket money is an excellent opportunity to learn how to withstand hardship. For example, I was employed as a waiter in a five-star hotel. Having to stand daily for hours has taught me to take hardship in good stride. Such lesson would not have been made possible in school where children learn academic success above anything else.

Finally, the school usually does not teach us the skills of widening and deepening friendship. Learning the right communication skills and the social boundary that we should keep between friends will enable us to understand and appreciate our friends better. A widening social circle and an inner sphere of intimate friends are important to help one succeed in life. A friend can be there to give advice, provide business opportunities and even provide a listening skill. Unfortunately, the school does not provide such skills and this could only be learnt from home and interaction with the outside world.

In conclusion, it is a fallacy to think that everything can be learnt in school. One should always display a willingness to learn and relearn out of school context to be able to strive and thrive in this changing world.

O LEVEL Nov 2010 Paper 1