From Bondage To Freedom by Professor L.J.M. Cooray 6. The importance of education in the life of a nation and the rise of civilisation cannot be underestimated. It is a half-truth to say that education is necessary in the modern world. Education has always been necessary to preserve the human race from a lapse into rude ignorance.
Education is the medium by which civilisation is preserved and fostered.
It is, therefore, both a tool and a virtue. Above all these, education equips individuals for the prudent conduct of their lives. The import of these statements must be qualified both in terms of the efficacy of education and by defining the nature of education. Firstly, education cannot make a man good or evil. It can just as easily produce a clever devil as a benevolent sage.