What is the purpose of education?

What is the purpose of education?

Firstly, and perhaps most obviously, education creates far more job opportunities for students, as they have more qualifications and are therefore more appealing to employers. However, this idea that the purpose of education is to gain qualifications needed to get a job with ‘decent wages’ is now slightly dated (Anonymous, 2015).
Furthermore, the purpose of education today is much wider than simply to educate children in academic subject areas that will lead them to the ‘better’ jobs in society. For example, schooling today is beginning to teach children how to become the best individuals within society that they possibly can, by teaching them more about the world around them and about themselves. (Moore, 2012) Being taught about, not only your own cultures, but the cultures of others too is a vital aspect of education as it informs students of the beliefs and norms of society, educating them on how to behave in and address different situations (Bass, 1997). Due to the fact that society today is becoming an extremely complex and ever-changing system, education needs to teach students the necessary skills needed to deal with this change (Kappa Delta Pi, 2013). The speed that society is changing at means that education plays an extremely important part in ensuring that children today are keeping up with these changes and the knowledge of each new generation is developing (Bass, 1997).
I personally believe that a singular purpose for education cannot be given as, as made evident above, there are many different approaches to what the aim of schooling is. I think that these approaches work together to make up the purpose of education, which is to improve children’s’ knowledge of academic topics, skills regarding common sense and society, qualifications to be used to gain higher level careers, and knowledge of society today.
This idea of a mixture of ‘purposes’ is supported by the Donaldson Report and, in particular, Graham Donaldson’s ‘four key purposes’. He speaks about how a curriculum should work to educate children in becoming the following four characters –

1.     ‘ambitious, capable learners, ready to learn throughout their lives’
2.     ‘enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work’
This idea links to the fact that education should prepare and lead students to ‘good’ jobs. However, Donaldson speaks about this in a way that avoids concentration on the idea of qualifications, and more in terms of educating children to become adults who are appealing to employers, and who are going to be able to offer something original to employers’ companies.
3.     ‘ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world’
This idea links with the idea that children should be educated about their own society and culture, as well as cultures of other individuals and groups all around the world.
4.     ‘healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society’
This idea is linked closely with Donaldson’s areas of learning and experience – in particular ‘humanities’ and ‘health and well-being’. This aspect of his ‘Successful Futures’ report speaks of how pupils need perfect health - physically, emotionally, and socially. This will ensure success in their education and therefore schools should include education on how children can maintain their health, as part of the curriculum.
(Donaldson, 2015)

References

Anonymous. (2015). Purpose of Education. Journal of Developmental Education,38(2), 36.

Bass, R. (1997). The Purpose of Education. The Educational Forum, 61(2), 128-132.

Donaldson, G. (2015). Successful futures: Independent review of curriculum and assessment arrangements in Wales. Welsh Government.

Kappa Delta Pi. (2013). Teaching for a brighter more sustainable future. Kappa Delta Pi Record., 49(1), 12.

Moore, A. (2012). "Teaching and Learning - Pedagogy, Curriculum and Culture". 2nd ed. London and New York: Routledge, p.35.







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