In the recent years, the American education system has fallen under the wrath of critics who firmly believe that the system is obsolete, compromised, and deceptive. They have strongly recommended for an immediate refurbishment of the whole system. This belief has spilled over to the youths currently enrolled in the same system and for them School has lost its meaning. Classroom education has become more of a formality or role that a student has to play, to please the parent. Nothing more. This however has turned out to be a blame game where students blame the teachers while the teachers blame the system. However recent research carried out across different States in the U.S. has revealed the average American youth of the 21st century to be of limited interest towards education hence stirring up the question as to why the youth do not value Education anymore.
The existence of an obsolete education system is the greatest contributor towards having half-backed graduates in search of work in the job market. The system administrators, who ironically belong to the previous generation, have set the rules and appear comfortable with the current system in play and think that what they did during their time is applicable in this new age. Unfortunately, that does not concur with what the students want and hence their complacency in studies. They wish to embrace an open learning system that will flow along with their passions, dreams and interests. It is high time the whole system was pulled down and restructured to fit the era technology and advanced human development index.
To add on, the American youth have lost their taste for education with the rise of “work from home” career options. Online working platforms have been a major breakthrough owing to advanced technology levels and, on the other hand, a major attraction for the youth. Nowadays the internet is flooded with numerous career options such as freelance writing or application development among many others. These jobs surprisingly pay up to $1000 or more as monthly income and that would explain why the youths are after them. They do not see the reason of going through high school then college and then after that one would probably have to wait for a while before getting a job. The desire for quick money has drained education of its worth by diverting the student’s attention.
Belief in passion and interests also has contributed to the depreciation in value of education. In the new millennium, children have been brought up in a setting that inclined their attention towards things or careers pleased them. Kids have grown up with certain dreams crafted in their minds by parental influence only to realize their interest is in something else the moment they step into High school or college. The moment this realization strikes, the consequences have been shocking to the parents. The kids who used to be top achievers throughout the elementary stage suddenly flip and become under performers in class. Parents sometimes mistake this change to be the peer influence their teens are exposed to while in real sense it is the realization that one is meant for something different.
Ignorance has been another major contributing factor towards the youth not valuing education. An average American youth comes from a family that fully caters for all their needs, financially and socially hence the complacency towards Education. These teenage students are blinded by the peak of teenage hood that they see no sense in education. They merely have time to reflect on their future and instead are always busy on their smartphones chatting away the night and discussing their next party. Involvement in drug and substance abuse is also at the peak of their ignorance and their minds have been obscured from thinking. The number of teenage school dropouts is on the rise as a result.
Limited Job opportunities in the market has moreover deprived the youth of their value towards education. Why work hard at school and in the end there are limited jobs? This is a very frustrating question to any youth as it beats logic to work hard at school and then get nothing in return. The government on the other hand is lacking in terms of job creation prompting the youth to seek other employment alternatives. In the long run, more people are detaching from civil jobs and have ventured to the private sector.
The above arguments have derailed education sophistication across America as people, particularly the youth seek better alternatives of job creation. The value of education ought to be reverted to its initial status quo through a change in the mindset of both the youth and the society at large.
By Ian Nechenje
Image courtesy of D. Sharon Pruitt – Flickr License
Tre'vell Hill 
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