I believe scales are important for the following:
1. Scales - especially the major scale - form the basis of theory for all Western music. Breaking music down to it's most basic elements, it is pitch and rhythm. All concepts of pitch can be related back to scales.
2. A student should not only learn patterns, but learn the notes of the scale they are playing. Learning the notes on the instrument is a good thing.
3. Scales help with technical development. As was mentioned earlier, playing scales up and down is not the only thing that should be done. Play through every possible permutation of the scale.
4. Aural development - sing the scale as you practise it, to help train your ear to the sound.
5. Scales are used by many good players for improvisation. We can break down 7-8 note scales into smaller components such as blues/pentatonic scales, arpeggios and intervals. Learn how the scales relate to the chords in the song you are studying.
6. A knowledge of scales/theory can be very useful in composing and arranging tunes. Chords are simply scale tones stacked together, following certain principles of harmony that have been established over the past few hundred years.
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