Basic Education and Welfare Education
Can education become a luxury? This question may seem provocative, because education is considered a fundamental human right and one of the most important pillars for building individuals and states. However, rapid technological transformations, the rise of artificial intelligence, and the ease of accessing knowledge prompt us to rethink this question differently. Perhaps education itself will not become a luxury, but it could split, much like other sectors, into basic education and luxury education. Consider medicine as an example: no one disputes that a cardiologist, a neurosurgeon, or an emergency physician represents a necessity that society cannot do without. In contrast, there are other medical specialties where practitioners hold the same qualifications and undergo the same training, yet they provide services that many view as more of a luxury than a necessity. Both belong to the same profession, but the demand for them is not equal. Could the same happen in education?
The educational system emerged in an era when schools and universities monopolized knowledge. If one wanted to study physics, law, or medicine, there was no alternative to the educational institution. Today, however, anyone can learn from the world’s best professors, leverage artificial intelligence for explanation, analysis, and training, and access vast amounts of scientific content without leaving their homes. Consequently, information is no longer scarce. What, then, will educational institutions offer?
The answer may be that education will tend to divide. There will be basic education, which equips individuals with indispensable skills such as critical thinking, analysis, innovation, teamwork, professional ethics, and the ability to use modern technologies. This type of education will become increasingly important over time. In contrast, another form of education may emerge, where people do not primarily purchase knowledge, but rather the name, reputation, networks, and social symbolism associated with it. Just as some brands offer a status that transcends the intrinsic value of the product itself, some world-renowned universities may resemble luxury brands, with part of their value lying closer to symbolic worth than to epistemic value.
Shimaa Nabil Al-Mulla
