It is a famous saying that a pen is mightier than a sword. The meaning behind this simple saying is that when a man is educated then he or she has the right knowledge and expertise to know what is right for not just him or her but for the entire society.

According to various experts, education can be defined as the process through which learning is facilitated. Education can also be defined as the process through which knowledge, values, beliefs, habits, and skills can be acquired. Since ancient times, people have been focused on learning and a number of methods of learning have been used. Some of the common methods of learning include directed research, storytelling, training, teaching, and discussion. However, it wasn’t until modern times when a rigid and formal education structure has been established in most countries of the world. This has somewhat led to the commercialization of education. In this academic writing piece, readers will be able to learn the answer to the question of whether education is too commercialized during these days or not.

The Meaning of Education

Before learning the extent or the level to which education is commercialized, it is important for readers to understand what good quality education is and the entire history of education. Education can be defined as the process of facilitating learning. There are many experts who also define education as the process through which an individual can acquire new skills, habits, values, beliefs, and knowledge. There are different methodologies of teaching which are practiced all across the globe and those methodologies are also known as pedagogy. Education primarily takes place under the guidance of an educator or teacher whose main job is to constantly support the student throughout the entire learning procedure. It is also important for the readers to remember that there are many instances where a learner might also educate himself or herself without the presence of any educator or teacher. In many countries across the globe, education is compulsory and there are both private and governmental institutes which are set up to facilitate that learning.

The History of Education

The history of education has been rather complex. It is also a very intensive history that begins in sometime during the time period of prehistory. During the pre-literate society, the notion of education was rather limited. One would teach his or her young one about the skills which would improve the chances of that young one to survive better in the environment around him or her. As cultures began to expand, storytelling became an important method of imparting knowledge. The evidence of formal education can be found in Egypt at the time of the Middle Kingdom. The first institute of learning was established by Plato in Athens. After that, there has been an obvious increase in the number of educational institutes across the globe but there was no concrete education system until the fall of Rome.

After the fall of Rome, the Catholic Church built a number of schools during the Early Middle Ages. These were seen as advanced centers of learning. Many medieval universities also opened up at that time. And when renaissance came, there was a huge boom in terms of the fields of intellectual and scientific inquiry. The enlightenment period also brought a number of changes in the education industry. According to UNESCO, in the next 30 years, the power of education will be spread so far and wide that more people will receive formal education than ever in the history of humanity.

The Reasons for the Commercialization of Education

To understand the methods through which these levels of education has been commercialized, it is first important to understand the reasons for that commercialization to take place.

• The Increasing Population

It is a commonly known fact that population across the globe has gone under a sharp rise due to a number of factors. This has led to the government of many countries to face a number of challenges. One such challenge lies in terms of education. With the increase in the number of people in the country, the government institutes of the country are not able to accommodate the education of such large numbers. This has led to the setting up of various private schools and institutions which are able to fulfill that demand.

• Lack of Better Facilities

Private education institutes are more expensive than government education institute. One of the biggest reasons behind that is that private institutes offer better facilities and a more comfortable environment for the learning of a student. This is why many parents are attracted to private institutions when it comes to learning for their kids.

• The Mindset

It is a common mindset amongst the majority of the population that all good things cost money. This is why people actively pursue and try to enroll their children in private schools if they can afford it. Government schools are often viewed as the last option.

The Methods of Commercialization

In this last section, the readers will be able to learn about the different methods through which education has been commercialized too much all across the globe. And some of those methods are:

1. The Setting up of Private Schools

Everybody wants to be successful in this world and education is often presented as one of those ways through which one achieve that success. This is why most parents are often in a race to get the best school for their children. There are some schools and kindergartens which even have 3 to 4 years of waiting period! This is why a number of private schools have cropped up in almost every locality one ends up going to.

2. The Setting up of Private Universities

During the last 3 or 4 decades, there has been a rise in the number of people who pursue higher education. However, the government of many countries has been unable to keep up with that demand and that is why many students end up opting for private universities. It is important for readers to remember that there are many cases in which students actively sought private universities for their better facilities but in the majority of the cases, private universities are seen as the last option for students who wish to pursue higher education but are unable to do so at a government institution.

3. Access to Foreign Universities

Because of globalization, students now have access to universities which might not even exist within one’s own country. It is also important for readers to note that foreign students are often charged a higher tuition fee.

4. The Setting up of Private Coaching Centers

As it was mentioned above, higher government education institutes are portrayed as being very desirable. Because of this many private coaching centers have been set up which provide students with the training which will allow the students to get access to such institutes. Majority of these private coaching centers charge extremely high fees from the students.

5. The Setup of Extra Learning Centers

If students wish to learn some new skills then there are also many extra learning centers which provide students with the tools to master that skill. These learning centers are quite popular and students often end up paying a lot to get admission into such learning centers.

These are some of the methods through which education has been too commercialized nowadays.

The Conclusion:

Education can simply be defined as the process of learning or acquiring knowledge. Education is also often portrayed as the method through which an individual can achieve success. Hence, there has been a rise in the demand for proper education. Because of this reason and a number of other reasons, education has started to become more commercialized. There are a number of ways through which education is commercialized these days. And some of those methods include setting up of private schools, universities, coaching centers, and learning centers.

The References

https://medium.com/@082ljs18/is-education-too-commercialized-nowadays-synthesis-fd9350f714ec

https://steemit.com/education/@high-dee/is-education-too-commercialized-nowadays

Education and Commercialization: Raising Awareness and Making Wise Decisions

https://www.quora.com/Is-education-commercialized-nowadays

https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/ref/college/coll-china-education-005.html?scp=4&sq=chinese%2520education&st=Search

http://oaji.net/articles/2016/1707-1457180816.pdf

https://brainly.in/question/5287645

https://oxfordre.com/education/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.001.0001/acrefore-9780190264093-e-180