The Purpose of Education

I have had students whose minds were photographic, but grew up corrupt and cheaters who affected horribly the communities around them. I have had students who were astoundingly intelligent, but couldn't last a year in the workplace. I have had students whose grasp of general information and depth of rational inquiries were unbelievably accurate and logically sound, but whose sense of entitlement made societies in shambles and economies crash. 

Education based on facts and numbers alone - where teachers force students to memorize and learn by the book and where students are graded according to test results alone - needs re-evaluation based on the lessons of history. The global financial crisis of 2007 was caused by brilliant people from Ivy League universities. The Philippines' poverty and economic mismanagement were and are being caused by corrupt yet highly educated, English-enunciating politicians giving power haphazardly to hoodlums and hooligans. 

Students are leaders in training. What they need are not more information, but more character building. 

Students don't become educated because they know more, but because they understand better. 

Education is not about information alone, but who uses it and why. 

Teachers themselves should be responsible to teach students responsibility. One that is mindful of the collective. One that builds a community, not just protects a family.

The photographic minds. 

The astoundingly intelligent. 

The logically sound. 

They don't necessarily become good persons.