The Essence of Education and Knowledge, Education can be a benchmark of human quality. Theoretically, as stated by the Indonesian Education Pioneer, Ki Hajar Dewantara, the concept of education is a series to humanize a human. He also explained that education guides all the strengths that basically exist in children therefore they can achieve happiness as humans and members of society. In line with it, John Dewey stated that education is the development of the capacities in the individual which enable them to control the environment and fulfill their responsibilities. Based on the definition, it can be concluded that education is an effort to form a completely human character who is not only intelligent but also has a noble personality and character as a human being by maximizing the potential that existed within him.
From a broader perspective, education can be referred to as a means to gain knowledge. Literally, the terms of knowledge are different in English and Indonesia. If it is about something you are familiar with or information about a subject you get by experience or study, then it refers to the word “knowledge.” Meanwhile, the term science refers to a particular study using scientific methods. Both of those words can be translated as “ilmu pengetahuan” in Indonesia. However, in this article, the term “ilmu pengetahuan” refers to “knowledge” in English. By doing so, then how to gain knowledge?
Surely, the definite answer is through education. Education is responsible for providing knowledge to all students therefore later the knowledge can be used and applied in everyday life. In its implementation, education in Indonesia is divided into three divisions such as formal, non-formal, and informal, and also into four levels, which are nursery education, elementary, middle, and high. All of them are stages or levels in Indonesia.
However, the essence of education is not only limited to conveying knowledge. As stated above, knowledge is not enough to humanize humans. Many people are already proficient in the field of science but have not been able to provide benefits to others around them, even if it is just having a good personality. For that, education goes beyond it.
Aristotle emphasized that education is carried out following gradual progress, both physically and mentally. This was also emphasized by Al-Ghazali that education has a goal to humanize humans through various sciences that are delivered in stages from birth to death. From this, it can be concluded that the true essence of education is the process of providing knowledge gradually and continuously up to the end of human life. So, education is not only limited to teaching humans to “know” something, but also must be able to make them develop, explore, and apply the knowledge they have acquired.
In conclusion, the essence of education is not only limited to efforts in acquiring knowledge. Moreover, education is a series of gradual and continuous processes to educate people to be able to become fully human. As Aristotle once said, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”. AA
