"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." - John Dewey
Education is a key determinant of continuous good health and success for the nation. When we think of education we think of schooling and degrees, however education runs much deeper than that. Education is a benchmark for comparisons of innovation, standards of living, and income.
When we measure education, we must measure the adult literacy rate (capability to read and write) as well as the gross enrollment ratio (education from kindergarten to post-graduate studies). Both of these factors (the GER and the adult literacy rate) are weighed at 50% in relation to each other to form the Education portion of the Human Development Index (HDI)
When we measure education, we must measure the adult literacy rate (capability to read and write) as well as the gross enrollment ratio (education from kindergarten to post-graduate studies). Both of these factors (the GER and the adult literacy rate) are weighed at 50% in relation to each other to form the Education portion of the Human Development Index (HDI)
Education is not available for everyone equally. People with higher incomes can afford a continuous education while low-income families may struggle to receive an education.
The estimated number of illiterate individuals in the United States is roughly 14% of the population. This means that 14% of our nation does not have the means to acquire a healthy standard of living.
Innovation and per Capita income is also not at it’s full efficiency relating to output of labor due to a lack of education among men and women especially. Access to education is essential for an individual’s success, well-being, and our nation’s success.
An increase in education for women will lead to severely increased efficiency in the workforce, new innovations, as will as a longer life expectancy for future generations. As reviewed more in detail in the Health section (click on health in quick menu), illiteracy in women is of increasing importance to secure a future for the generations to come (a child who is born to a literate mother is 50% more likely to survive past the age of 5).