The Governing Body Reframes Education as a Personal Choice

Governing Body update #5, August 22nd, 2025 with Governing Body member David Splane

Article Written By: Miss Usato, Published: August 22nd, 2025

Jehovah’s Witnesses emphasize spiritual education above all else. While basic schooling is considered necessary, the organization’s literature has long warned against higher education, to the point of removal and disowning if pursued, until today

After Decades of Warnings, a Doctrinal Pivot Opens the Door to Education

A day that many active and former Jehovah’s Witnesses never expected to see (much like the long-anticipated Armageddon) has finally arrived. After decades of pressure, scorn, and adversity directed at millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses who sought/attempted to pursue higher education, the organization has now taken a dramatic turn in its doctrinal stance.

On August 22nd, 2025, Governing Body member David Splane announced on JW broadcasting that “additional education” is a personal choice, and that elders and others should not judge a person’s choice to do so.

Why does this matter? And why might such a drastic change bring more discouragement than relief for both active and former Witnesses? While outsiders may find it puzzling, those who have lived under the Watchtower’s authority understand that restricting what members are permitted to learn or teach has always been a defining mark of organizational control. AvoidJW knew this day would come soon, since there have been many sudden and surprising changes to this late 1800s dogmatic religion, known for its controlling rules, mainly in the past 3 years. Below is an extensive throwback on Watchtower’s teachings regarding higher education.

Key Watchtower References Against Higher Education

1950s–1970s: Formal Denunciations

The Watchtower, September 1, 1957, p. 541: Higher education was described as part of the “world” that “seeks self-exaltation.” Young Witnesses were encouraged instead to pursue the ministry.
Awake!, November 22, 1968, p. 15: In the context of failed expectations of the “system’s end” (notably tied to 1975), Witness youths were warned not to pursue higher education, as “there is very little time left to this old system.”

1980s: Clear Organizational Warnings

The Watchtower, March 15, 1983, p. 21: Higher education was linked to apostasy, stating that many who pursued it lost their faith.
Awake!, May 22, 1985, p. 13: Universities were described as “hotbeds of immorality” where young Witnesses risked being led astray.

1990s: Strengthened Counsel Against University

The Watchtower, November 1, 1992, pp. 20–21: Parents were told that while further schooling is technically a personal decision, it should not come at the cost of full-time service. This often served as a “soft no” that left youth socially discouraged from pursuing higher education.
Kingdom Ministry, November 1992, p. 3: Specifically discouraged young people from university, urging them to focus on pioneer service instead.

2000s: Explicit Discouragement Intensifies

The Watchtower, October 1, 2005, p. 28: Higher education was described as unnecessary and a distraction, urging young Witnesses to pursue vocational training or part-time work that supported ministry.
Kingdom Ministry, April 2008, “Are You Remaining Watchful?”: Higher education was called “a snare” that leads to pride, debt, and poor spiritual health.

2010s: Continued Warnings

The Watchtower, June 15, 2011, p. 31: Asked, “What will you do with your life?” and discouraged university, contrasting it with pioneering or Bethel service as the “better choice.”
Awake!, September 2011, p. 21: Reinforced that secular education should be “kept simple,” warning of “bad associations” at colleges.

JW.org FAQ – “Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Shun Education?” (2018)

While presenting a softer tone, the FAQ still stated: “We do not encourage prolonged, career-oriented education. Such schooling can lead to bad associations, materialism, and weak spirituality.”

Consistency in a negative response towards further education

Themes and Warnings

Across decades, several consistent themes emerge:

Time is Short – University is portrayed as a waste of precious time before Armageddon.
Moral Danger – Higher learning is described as exposing youth to immorality, atheism, and apostasy.
Materialism – College is linked to worldly ambition and financial debt.
Spiritual Priorities – Ministry, pioneering, and Bethel service are portrayed as superior choices.

Impacts on Jehovah’s Witnesses

Career Limitations: Many Witnesses avoided professions requiring university training.
Social Pressure: Congregational culture stigmatized those who enrolled in university.
Retention Issues: Young Witnesses who pursued higher education were often portrayed as spiritually weak or rebellious.

From the 1950s onward, the Watchtower has consistently discouraged higher education, shaping the life paths of millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses. While the tone has shifted—sometimes softening to emphasize “personal decision”—the underlying message remains clear: higher learning is unnecessary and spiritually risky.

Any future shift toward calling education purely a matter of conscience would represent a significant doctrinal and cultural reversal from over half a century of consistent organizational discouragement.

An additional change, along with Governing Body update #5

Another point raised by Larchwood, an advocate exposing Watchtower teachings, is that this Governing Body Update frames the shift using the term ‘Additional Education.’ While reminiscent of ‘Higher Education,’ the choice of words is deliberate. ‘Higher’ implies elevation or superiority, whereas ‘Additional’ feels optional or unnecessary—subtly signaling that pursuing education beyond what the organization provides is discouraged. According to Larchwood, this linguistic nuance reflects the underlying intent to maintain control over members’ learning.

Links:

Key resources on the doctrine of higher education can be found directly on JW..org. However, as with many past broadcasts and publications, some articles may eventually be removed. For reference, here are several additional articles outlining how Jehovah’s Witnesses view the pursuit of education:

Deleted Video from Site: Philip Brumley discusses higher education

AvoidJW: Higher Education is a reason to remove an elder

AvoidJW: Forbidding Education

JWfacts: Higher Education

JWsupport: JW’s Advised against Education