Education’s primary goal is to foster independent thinkers: Chief Adviser

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has stated that the main goal of education is to develop independent thinkers.

He made the remark at the inaugural session of the South Asian Regional Conference titled “Current State and Future Directions of Higher Education–2026” held at a five-star hotel in the capital on Tuesday.

Dr. Yunus said that the aim of the education system is not merely to produce a workforce suited for jobs, but to cultivate creative, independent, and innovative individuals. Humans are inherently creative, but conventional education systems often suppress this creativity, limiting it only to job preparation.

Dr. Yunus believes that viewing education merely as a means to get a job undermines its true purpose. He said that the primary goal of education should be to awaken human creativity and teach individuals to think independently.

He emphasizes that students should be nurtured not only as job seekers but as job creators. Entrepreneurial mindset, imagination, and the courage to innovate are qualities that the education system must cultivate.

Highlighting South Asia as a region full of potential, the chief adviser noted that political instability, social divisions, and flawed policies often prevent this potential from being realized. Education can be the force that empowers the youth of the region to lead transformative change, he added.