Education for Empowerment Vs. Education for Academic Achievement

When an overemphasis is placed on academic achievement, then an individual allows himself to be defined or validated by external forces while in pursuit of individual distinction. A focus on achievement is grounded in a spirit of competition to gain rewards or recognition for distinguishing oneself among one's peer or cohort group. Usually, outside forces determine the rules and the nature of the competition. The usual benefit of winning is fame, appreciation, acknowledgement, and promotion. The tragedy lies in the fact that when there is an overemphasis on achievement without a connection to a greater purpose, the achiever emerges with short-lived satisfaction without a sense of direction for more purposeful living. More specifically, the achiever may meet the qualifications that make it possible to enter into a higher level of math, gain entrance into a college, or achieve a higher standard of living, but it later becomes apparent that the achiever has very little sensitivity to the utility of his education to improve the conditions in the community from which he has emerged.

When an individual allows himself to be controlled by external forces to such a degree that he limits his goals and aspirations to his own personal desires, then that individual is sure to be overcome by the vanity of commercialism, materialism, and individualism. According to Dr. Carter G. Woodson, "Real education means to inspire people to live more abundantly, to begin with life as they find it, and make it better..." This quote captures the embodiment of education for empowerment as opposed to the pursuit of education exclusively for the purpose of achievement, distinction, or personal satisfaction. I believe education for empowerment connotes the all encompassing belief that education is a path to a higher quality of life, a way of preparation for purposeful living, and a doorway to realizing dreams, addressing social dilemmas, and leaving a mark of excellence on the hearts and minds of present and future generations. The pursuit of educational distinction without a more comprehensive understanding of the benefit of education will lead to an imbalanced life, a public embarrassment, and a gross disregard for those at the grassroots level who stand to benefit from the achievements of others socially, economically, politically, and otherwise.

If our youth are encouraged to distinguish themselves academically without understanding the greater purpose of education, which is to serve humanity (and particularly those who they identify with socially, culturally, economically) to help make life better, then the communities they emerged from will not benefit from their education-but their employers will profit from their skills and throw them a few financial crumbs to appease their personal longing for a piece of the pie. This is a tragedy, this is indeed a tragedy.