Education is a comprehensive systematic project, involving many problems. However, if we want to choose the most fundamental question, that is the purpose of education. The purpose of education is one of the basic problems of pedagogy, which is related to the direction and goal of education. The direction and goal of education determine the content, form and method of education, as well as the result and effect of education.

The purpose of education can be viewed from different angles. In the traditional concept, the purpose of education is to cultivate people's all-round development in morality, intelligence, physique and beauty, and to make them useful and virtuous. In modern society, the purpose of education puts more emphasis on vocational education and employment orientation, that is, to cultivate talents who meet social needs and contribute to social and economic development.

The purpose of education is related to the values and outlook on life of education. If the purpose of education is to achieve economic benefits, then education will emphasize vocational skills and practicality, while ignoring the cultivation of humanistic quality and humanity. If the purpose of education is to maximize personal value, then education will emphasize individual development and self-realization, while ignoring social responsibility and collective interests.

Therefore, the purpose of education is the most basic problem in education, which is not only related to the development direction and effect of education, but also related to the relationship between education and society and individuals. Only by clarifying the purpose of education can we carry out education and teaching in a targeted manner and cultivate talents that meet the needs of social and personal development.