1.1 Purpose of education
What is education? Across the world, politicians, policy makers, academics, educationalists, parents and children alike all grapple with this question in different ways and for different reasons.
The way you think about education is influenced by your own values and beliefs, the values and beliefs of others, political ideologies, socio-economic climate, religion, culture, acquisition of knowledge or life experiences, yet views are rarely fixed and change over time. Read this short quote from the Department for Education (DfE):
Education is the great leveller. Every single child should have access to an education that equips them with the knowledge, skills and experiences needed to fulfil their potential.
Primary education is critical to a child’s development and it is where they lay the foundations for their futures.
And this from the United Nations:
States Parties agree that the education of the child shall be directed to:
a. The development of the child’s personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential.
b. The development of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and for the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
c. The development of respect for the child’s parents, his or her own cultural identity, language and values, for the national values of the country in which the child is living, the country from which he or she may originate, and for civilizations different from his or her own.
d. The preparation of the child for responsible life in a free society, in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance, equality of sexes, and friendship among all peoples, ethnic, national and religious groups and persons of indigenous origin.
e. The development of respect for the natural environment.
Activity 1
What do you believe the purpose of education to be?
Here are some statements about the purpose of primary education. Number these statements in an order of most important (1) to least important (10) in your view. Add the number in the text box next to the statement. The aim of this activity is to encourage you to think about the different purposes of education and your own experiences. There are no right or wrong answers here.
Education is to …
| Statement | Your order |
|---|---|
| … prepare children for future employment | |
| … ensure everyone has basic skills to a certain level | |
| … develop children’s ability to empathise | |
| … help children become lifelong learners | |
| … develop children’s moral values | |
| … prepare children to contribute to society | |
| … develop children’s understanding of the world | |
| … foster children’s skills in literacy, science and mathematics | |
| … help children discover creativity | |
| … reduce crime and antisocial behaviour |
Thinking about your own experiences, write three bullet points that capture what you think influences your ideas about the purposes of education.