Discussion of the Day
Are we overeducated?
Natalia J 521321Jul 02, 23
Education is rightly seen as one of the best ways to develop a country s economy, as more productive workers can create better living standards for everyone. But is there a limit to the benefits of education, and should countries be wary of this double-edged sword? Are we overeducated?
Comments
  • Ali T
    I would say that education is very much goes wrong direction. I would say undereducated.
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    • Stacey 1260635
      Kids today are taught such a wide range of subjects, just a pity none are in the biggest subject of all.....real life.
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      • mary c
        I is.
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        • pam rae
          hi ty Helen
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          • Martin R 125460
            Far from it in NZ, we are bringing up a class of morons
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            • Pennye R
              We are not over educated but too much emphasis is placed on going to college when we need more skilled labor. I was a teacher and the number of high school students who cannot read well is astounding yet we force them to take classes they will never use. I would like to see separate tracts for vocational and academic so that students can follow their strengths.
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              • Pamela G
                As a former educator I have seen the same thing.
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            • Priscilla R 316016
              I have been refused jobs/positions in the past due to being overeducated. I also wish more emphasis could be placed on the trades and immediate workplaces rather than universities.
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              • Imperia S
                how can anyone say that we are overeducated, when even the educators are struggling
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                • Pato Lo Duck
                  It is being un-educated that is allowing the likes of Trump and Putin to take control of the fate of the world..
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                  • Laura W 363255
                    I don’t think we are over educated but I often wonder what relevance say Shakespeare has on future generations!
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                    • Justine 1330102
                      No, and with so much at our finger tips through IT and development, we need to go careful we don't get lazy
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                      • Robert L NZ
                        DHUR!!!!!!!
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                        • Cathy S 315728
                          yes, it's great for all to know alot as we all think differently and that helps with new discoveries etc but common sense has gone gone gone
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                          • mary c
                            I would love to go back to school now and actually enjoy studying all the subjects I either hated, couldn't do or missed out on. This time around i would do History, Art History...tho' who knows..maybe those have been replaced by IT subjects!! Though i would prob need some siesta's and tea breaks, and more toilet breaks haha. And Music history would be an awesome subject- don't think it existed but if i could add one that would be it. And maybe a subject on How not to Eff up in Life- that would be a double subject of course.
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                            • SUSIE W
                              My generation,no - boomers Current generation, most
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                              • Glenyse H
                                No but we need tomspecialize in better subjects ie geology , etc
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                                • Catalina
                                  No.
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                                  • Edith v
                                    Life has been my education.
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                                    • boy blunder
                                      learning is a lifelong process, we can never be over-educated have no fear that there are a lot of people flipping burgers with large hex debts because they oversell education,
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                                      • Nikki W 168121
                                        Yes. Education is not for everyone and not the answer to everything.
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                                        • Margaret C 68385
                                          Education needs to go back to the BASICS! I have worked with people with degrees +++ and no common sense!
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                                          • Joe B 288252
                                            Parliament is full of educated idiots, that’s why the world is the way it is…..lol
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                                            • Pam G 449028
                                              No, there are still kids and adults that can’t read or write. The education department should not be allowing these kids slip through.
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                                              • John T 586045
                                                To me we are teaching our kids the wrong topics
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                                                • Jacqueline R 353303
                                                  No children these days can't spell or add up unless they have a device to help them. Hear of those who go to Uni and still can't get a job. System flawed.
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                                                  • Luke W 72035
                                                    If we are referring to jobs and the economy I think the whole system is flawed in the age of the internet with a vast amount of free information and tools available. Many people forced into debt for a digital certificate to prove someone said they studied. Doesn't make much sense in some cases and really makes life even more difficult than it has to be. It sometimes depends on the industry they want to get into though. I'm not sure if overeducated is the right word. Restricted perhaps. Maybe I misunderstood what you're trying to convey.
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                                                    • Phillip H 667301
                                                      We all learn something everyday. Education is small part natural, largely taught (in Schools etc, by reading books, watching Documentary shows, as well as speaking to others whom you trust). So, that's my long way of saying "no".
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                                                      • Campbell C 184664
                                                        Education does not necessarily have to be at school. Frankly it is up to the individual. BTW I know some highly educated people who are utter morons., and they are not all politicians.
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                                                        • Venn 1314532
                                                          No, definitely not. We can always be learning something from life each day and the day you think you know it all, is the day you stop learning and miss out on life.
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                                                          • Andrew C 287196
                                                            yes and no. Kids today spend so much time playing around on electronic gizmos, playing silly sports, and having teachers stick their noses into the kids' lunchboxes, that they can barely write, read, or do basic mathematics - they need actual proper education without gadgets. At the other end of the scale is the government continually pushing everyone to go to university, which is completely pointless for some people. Plus, those that do obtain a degree (rather than simply spending three or more years mucking about and boozing) expect to be paid more, even when the degree has absolutely nothing to do with the job!
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                                                            • Mary M 329762
                                                              As I used to know a manager said "is not who you know what you know" or other managers said I didn't finish school but my friend in head office gave me the job. Sometimes school isn't needed but a good friend to help you out.
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                                                              • GRANT W 1233991
                                                                I'm a student for life, and the notion that we can be over educated sounds truly wrong. What we should be asking is the education provided fit for purpose or the tasks at hand.
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                                                                • Florence C 653924
                                                                  For the CV of Dr. Florence Cua-Christman, see LinkedIn. Thanks.
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                                                                  • Dave P 857147
                                                                    We have a huge problem with over educated people with no practical experience telling us how to live, but don't worry they only teach gender diversity these days so we will soon have the dumbest population in the world
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                                                                    • Anton A 1225344
                                                                      No. Just misinformed.
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                                                                      • roger l 315504
                                                                        Yes, gererally we aare, unfortunately in the USA most people are severely lacking in even basic education.
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                                                                        • Shirley M
                                                                          No
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                                                                          • Greg B 520364
                                                                            Never. You might be too smart for your own good. But never overeducated
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                                                                            • DENIS PONCH
                                                                              UN CAN NEVER BE OVEREDUCATED I TRY TO LEARN SOMETHING EVER DAY. LIKE HOW TO GROW BEEF STEAK TOMATOES .🤗 That's Life People deponch.
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                                                                              • lynda e 390007
                                                                                No
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                                                                                • Gunter L
                                                                                  Natalia, go and wash out your mouth!!! How can you even propose such a preposterous thing? There is no such thing as overeducation. There never was, and there never will be.
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                                                                                  • Corine M
                                                                                    No or if I was I paid to be.
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                                                                                    • Tere D
                                                                                      No Not by a long shot :- BUT Some of our educators need to stop passing those WHO CAN'T GET THE BASICS
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                                                                                      • Glenys H 310155
                                                                                        in some instances yes.... depends on your career prospects, field of employment etc. Not good when service providers get paid if people pass a course as everyone passes regardless of whether they are suited to a career in what the course provides.
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                                                                                        • Colin L 88398
                                                                                          Judging by the way so many refuse to believe the science behind things if anything I would say we are undereducated. Way too many think they can call true what they want to believe rather than what is real so from that point of view the education system has failed the lot of us so badly it needs breaking down and rebuilding immediately.
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                                                                                          • Janet H 854956
                                                                                            If the brain is hungry just feed it.
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                                                                                            • Armadillo
                                                                                              No we are under educated
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                                                                                              • Kristina L 134251
                                                                                                No
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                                                                                                • Samiuella L
                                                                                                  I reckon it depends on what the subjects are. In my opinion no. We need to get back to learning the basics like Mathematics and English and stop relying on technology.
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                                                                                                  • Jenny L 591463
                                                                                                    Well I guess it would depend on what some one is studying for, there certainly is a lack of basic learning like Maths, English, Reading and Writing. People can't do simple maths and give people the wrong change. Don't throw in any coin because that just confuses the issue.
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                                                                                                    • Jennifer H 396811
                                                                                                      Don't you mean "under educated". There's no such thing as over educated as most kids (and a lot of adults) these days cannot read or write properly, can't spell, have no command of grammar and can't add up or do basic maths.
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                                                                                                      • Tiffany L 690503
                                                                                                        I agreed just the basic learning not more than that
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                                                                                                        • APB
                                                                                                          A lot of people have limited vocabulary and cannot spell or structure sentences properly...the local checkout person and the guy behind the bar in your pub wouldn't be able to add up your bill in their heads if you only bought 6 items...so there is very little "danger" of over education I fear...
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                                                                                                          • Anne S 123999
                                                                                                            Over educated in what?????
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                                                                                                            • Sheree T
                                                                                                              We need to get back to basics and stop with all the other rubbish.
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                                                                                                              • Susan R 1248787
                                                                                                                Get back to the basics: reading, writing, and math! Read to your child before they go to school and develop a love of books! this is how you learn!
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                                                                                                                • Wendy Q
                                                                                                                  I know a lot of students keep going to Uni to learn more, so they don't have to work, we call them Professional Students
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                                                                                                                  • Michelle 1281734
                                                                                                                    I went to school for dental chairside assistant and medical secretary. I am doing neither. Sometimes education doesn't help.
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                                                                                                                    • Gunter L
                                                                                                                      Right, Michelle, in your case nothing helps.
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                                                                                                                  • Barbara W 864827
                                                                                                                    I'd say undereducated,not enough emphasis on the important subjects anymore.
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                                                                                                                    • Sonya F 68771
                                                                                                                      I agree we need to get back to basic of spelling, reading, maths and life skills
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                                                                                                                      • Jeanine R
                                                                                                                        I understand education. I do feel that parents need to educate the kids I feel that there are parents that need help. I also feel we need to go back to basics as we are lacking in teaching kids what is really needed. I see kids in my area that do not know how to read or write. It makes me sad for sure.
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                                                                                                                        • Larry S 382961
                                                                                                                          My son at high school had to learn Shakespeare. I was a cleaner at a girls high school. I asked an English teacher ( she was English ) why do students have to learn Shakespeare. She said it’s part of the curriculum.I don’t think a employer is going to get a possible employee to rattle off 10 lines of Macbeth
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                                                                                                                          • Sonya F 68771
                                                                                                                            I agree
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                                                                                                                        • Paula J 395266
                                                                                                                          We are spending more time at school, but over educated, I don't think so. Many people today don't know the difference between of and off, my grandchildren don't know the difference between your and you're, or if the apostrophe goes between or after a word. They can't add up or know the tables, and don't even ask them about foreign countries, cities or rivers because they don't have a clue. One of my children had a subject called pastoral care. I asked if it had anything to do with sheep. For goodness sake, how is that going to help you get a job. They should get back to basics, spelling and math and all the other stuff can come later. I hear people on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire who don't know about anything before about 1990. They must go around with their eyes and ears closed. Educated morons my husband calls them.
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                                                                                                                          • Henrietta
                                                                                                                            I still think that learning the 3 "R"s is fundamental to any learning. If you can't read, write or add up, you virtually can't do anything. These subjects can involve you as you progress through the education system. All the other subjects, such as science, IT involvement, or any of the other subjects not mentioned here, should all be taught as an after thought.
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                                                                                                                            • Michelle S 553303
                                                                                                                              It depends entirely upon what form and type of education is being "taught"! In the era of AI and Chat GT where a whole dissertation can be completed in 30 minutes and the student can pass it on as their own, I really think we need to look at what education in the 21st century means. I got a great basic, public school education in the 1970's till early 1980's which was more than sufficient for my needs at the time, however I did attend university in my late 20's to 30's after having my 5 children in order to become a Registered Nurse. There was a purpose for that education such as lawyers and other white collar workers need to work in their profession, but paying today to go to a liberal arts college and to get a degree in say Feminist Theory would be a waste of time and money. I sometimes watch YouTube Shorts and people go and ask young teens to mid 20 somethings on the street what are basic questions and they don't have a clue! I think we need to go back in time and focus on the 3 R's and society might actually have a chance at a future, otherwise we're screwed!
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                                                                                                                              • Shawn B 1061185
                                                                                                                                On the whole, I think we’re undereducated and over specialized. Yes, an engineering degree could be a valuable asset, what do you know about yourself? Where did you come from? Where are you going and why? Why do you think about things, or not? Why are some things fun and some are a deadly competition? Far more emphasis needs to be placed on the humanities as well as the STEM (science, technology, economics and mathematics) streams. The end goal should be to help develop the whole person, not just growing an economic engine.
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                                                                                                                                • Gaza
                                                                                                                                  Some things you'll never use throughout your life, I'm 75 and know.
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                                                                                                                                  • Terry G 153626
                                                                                                                                    I did French at high school. What a waste of time.
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                                                                                                                                • Bugalugs
                                                                                                                                  I don't think so but, that being said, I think people start chasing those "Titles", Dr., Adjunct Professor, Professor etc. and they get them far too easily. One Adelaide, South Australian University promoted an Adjunct Professor to Full Professor and di so not because she had advanced in her knowledge but simply because she was in the media a lot and they thought it easier for it to call her Professor! That is how absurd it has all become. There was a time when the title "Dr."(Doctor) was reserved for the Medical Profession, your local General Practitioner, GP, Surgeons, until they aged & took it one step further and wanted to be referred to as "Mr."! Today, you only have to write a Thesis, and from reports a lot of trhese are blatant nonsense such as one recent one which was on the subject of "Stockings"! Another was on Men's Jocks! with the result that they could now call themselves "Dr."!Get back to basics. Reading, Writing and Arithmatic. Teach children how to Spell. It really is very easy to learn to spell but it has been converted into something difficult and confusing. Teach Spelling as we actually speak it and stop this nonsense of new methods of teaching which most people simply do not understand and nor do they lead to any better results!
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                                                                                                                                  • Amber 22
                                                                                                                                    no
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                                                                                                                                    • Daniel A 2
                                                                                                                                      there's all the stuff we hear about more people going to uni, then comming out with not enough jobs to go to. Is that what you mean. Still that is all done just to make more employment for the teachers. Now how much of the education is unneccessary? quite a lot. a lot of it is "just in case" it helps. So plain and simply yes we are over educated.
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                                                                                                                                      • Michele W 394946
                                                                                                                                        Not if you go by some of the morons I'm doomed to face everyday!
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                                                                                                                                        • Christina C 466456
                                                                                                                                          If our country has to import experienced professionals then that's a good indicator of whether we are educated enough. Look at the immigration sought after skills list - most are IT professionals, engineers, medical professionals, factory workers (mainly welding), some tourism jobs etc. Some of these you don't need a degree (IT, welders, tourism) but just need the experience. Regardless work experience is education on its own so we may as well keep learning. There's always a skill shortage in some area at any one time so it depends what we have an overabundance of. It's supply and demand.
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                                                                                                                                          • Jania S
                                                                                                                                            The education system today, DOES NOT educate. It takes your money and tells you what to think. Compared to 50-30 years ago, we went to schook 5 days a week 8 hours a day and learnt in 12 years what is not taught in 18 years today. ALSO Education depends on field. University are great thieves to time and money.
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                                                                                                                                            • Bruce 1274521
                                                                                                                                              If the end of the world happens, then see what use the education has
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                                                                                                                                              • Jeanette K 1110361
                                                                                                                                                This is a tricky one - are we over educated - It comes down to who is doing the interviewing. I have seen people - females especially - get employed for having an appropriate CV and being 'not hard on the eye', the right age !! etc. This does happen. When you get to a certain age and have any range of qualification, your age goes against you no matter how qualified or not you are. I have experienced this first hand by an employer who advertised that age etc was not a barrier, and the first thing that was asked for at the interview was a copy of my passport or drivers licence so that they could confirm I was who I said I was. At 63 - no I didn't get the job that I was experienced in and qualified for.
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                                                                                                                                                • Craig S 1050522
                                                                                                                                                  Totally agree with you. I found by my late 40's that the person hiring me maybe in there 30's I had little hope - They were threatened by a CV/person that could do their job - New Zealand has been full ahead on getting more woman into higher positions and from time to time that is very frustrating for the young men that are also applying for the position - Sadly these days being the best applicate doesn't get you the job.
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                                                                                                                                                • Jeanette K 1110361Craig S 1050522
                                                                                                                                                  It is not only the young men who have problem with the higher positioned women. These women are also who I had the most challenge from - not sure if they feel threatened or what, but, all I was wanting was a job.
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                                                                                                                                              • jeffrey t 1083827
                                                                                                                                                We need to get young people to understand that have to crawl before they can walk that means starting at the bottom and working your way up
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                                                                                                                                                • Jacqueline Bunce
                                                                                                                                                  Education brainwashes people. We need more people that think outside the square
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                                                                                                                                                  • Amber21
                                                                                                                                                    I think we are undereducated. Some people don't even know how to write in cursive nowadays they are just now starting to teach cursive again because most people don't even know how to give a proper signature of there name in cursive.
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                                                                                                                                                    • Kathy 1270954
                                                                                                                                                      Where is Sesame Street when you need it?
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                                                                                                                                                      • Phyrephly
                                                                                                                                                        Now that was a brilliant show, way ahead of its time, along with Mr Rodgers....now though, not so much. Very sad!
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                                                                                                                                                    • Les S 842093
                                                                                                                                                      In US, education has sunk to an abysmal level. Many americans can barely name all the states, let alone any of the 200+ countries of the world, and have no idea as to where america sits on the globe. Overeducated? Not when it comes to basic knowledge
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                                                                                                                                                      • Daniel A 2
                                                                                                                                                        I always remember 22 years ago when I was in the USA I had to have a big Argument with 3 people that it got colder when you travel south not north in the southern hemisphere. they thanked me after prooving it to them though.
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                                                                                                                                                    • Robert F 1161011
                                                                                                                                                      No... maybe under-educated.
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                                                                                                                                                      • Adila 891207
                                                                                                                                                        We don't do the basics well.
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                                                                                                                                                        • Maureen G-Melb.Vic.
                                                                                                                                                          Yes with a lot of useless information.
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                                                                                                                                                          • Emerson 1319877
                                                                                                                                                            Some people are
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                                                                                                                                                            • John T 586045
                                                                                                                                                              We are over educated for the wrong topics these day
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                                                                                                                                                              • Ernie 67
                                                                                                                                                                It might depend on the job whether it not you could be considered undereducated , overeducated or just the right amount of educated.
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                                                                                                                                                                • JANN R
                                                                                                                                                                  I dont think anyone can be over educated its the best way to find the job you want
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                                                                                                                                                                  • CHRISTINE F 527291
                                                                                                                                                                    I think lots of us can be over-qualified but I don't think anybody can be overeducated. There are far too many ignorant people out there for us as a nation to be anywhere near overeducated. If you apply for a job, as I have often as a nurse who never tires of learning new things, just move on to the next application & keep learning:)
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                                                                                                                                                                    • allin
                                                                                                                                                                      you can never be over educated, you will learn at least 1 new thing every day of your life, 1st day y'all figure "i know everything",, go to NYC and find the tallest building, then jump off it, as your life is over,,,,
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                                                                                                                                                                      • mary c
                                                                                                                                                                        Eye you iz right 😉
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                                                                                                                                                                    • Christina D
                                                                                                                                                                      I got a qualification that was considered out of date less than a year after I got it and now that I have it, potential employers think I'm over qualified and they're not interested in hiring me
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                                                                                                                                                                      • Carolyn K 714554
                                                                                                                                                                        If a country wants to improve, education is one way. I have a friend who has a photo graphic mind and he couldn't get a job in wood work because of his qualifications. He finally got into that field by not letting them know about his qualifications.
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                                                                                                                                                                        • Linda B 907610
                                                                                                                                                                          Not in New Zealand! The education system is more interested in "teaching" stuff that will not help anyone in later life than the basic reading and writing. They work on a credit system here now that gives students their certificates if they earn enough credits and it doesn't matter where those credits come from. They do what is called assessments instead of exams and they are all open-book so the student doesn't need to know the work, they just need to know where to find it in the book! It's the most ludicrous system I have ever seen. FYI: I have taught under this system and hated it!
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                                                                                                                                                                          • Pamela G
                                                                                                                                                                            My sympathies from a former US teacher.
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                                                                                                                                                                        • Tupulua S
                                                                                                                                                                          CLONING HUMAN IS MY PROPLEM WITH OVER SMART SCIENTISTS AND ITS NOT A GOOD SIGN FOR HUMAN. MAY BE FUTURE GENERATION WILL NOT BE HUMAN BUT CLONES
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                                                                                                                                                                          • writerrochelle
                                                                                                                                                                            NO! Scientists have continuously reported that we only use about 10% of our capacity to learn, except for the very motivated and gifted humans on earth, like Stephen Hawkings, so I would say most of us are under educated, including myself. We have the ability to learn so much more! ;-D
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                                                                                                                                                                            • Lyn A.
                                                                                                                                                                              I don't think you can ever over educated, [nor over qualified for a job] however people also need life skills and common sense much of which seems to be missing now.
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                                                                                                                                                                              • Lawrence 1262145
                                                                                                                                                                                I think what we really need is more common sense, don't do the dumb stuff
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                                                                                                                                                                                • Lawrence 1262145
                                                                                                                                                                                  no I don't think so
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                                                                                                                                                                                  • Susan KTC
                                                                                                                                                                                    Sometimes it’s important to take the time to reflect on what you really want to become, and then make the decision to educate yourself. I was in my early 40s before I decided I was ready to commit to 3 years of education, to become any early childhood teacher. Some of my cousins and nephews went straight to university from school, and straight into employment. I believe that’s the secret to education is knowing what you would like to become!
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                                                                                                                                                                                    • Tipster
                                                                                                                                                                                      Kids are taught the wrong things. My grandchildren recently wrote me a letter about a mythical fairy story, but had to ask their mother how to spell "grandad"
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                                                                                                                                                                                      • Nanda K
                                                                                                                                                                                        Yes. Many over educated. Just because they think that its need to be. But ask your self why you study to get the knowledge of the square root principle in grade six to PHD level but no proper answer comes. Many can be highlited. But many do educate how their mind work? Do the project management have PHD but do not understand thrir own life project and some have PHD in marketing but cannot sell even pin in the mkt. Education gives knowledge but not the wisdom. If you need a wisdom look at world by using your own six sense and live on this moment.
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