Assess the view that the functions of the education system is to select and prepare individuals for their future
Assess the view that the functions of the education system is to select and prepare individuals for their future
The term education can be defined as a type of secondary socialisation, where individuals learn the knowledge and skills necessary to function in society. The education system is central to the way that we organise our society, it is also central to the way we see ourselves in society in the future. It forms part of way that we pass on social norms, values and morals to individuals. The education system was introduced in 1880 due to the fact that the bourgeoisie required a workforce who could read and write. Over the years the education system changed to meet the needs of society and the economy within it. An example of one of these changes occurred in 1976 when Prime Minister Callaghan made a speech at Ruskin College about how education was not meeting the needs of many employers. Meaning that certain skills needed for the workforce, such as ICT were not being taught in schools and this needed to be changed.
The functionalist view supports the fact that the education system is there to select and prepare individuals for their future. They believe that education is one of the main institutions within society and that it prepares individuals for adult society. From Durkheim’s key terms it shows how functionalists believe that education is a type of secondary socialisation where we carry on learning the norms and values of society and children can therefore learn the expectations of these values. According to the functionalist view we learn the values of society as a group during our education and this is called our ‘collective conscience’. This reinforces another one of Durkheim’s key terms being social solidarity; this means how children in primary schools especially learn about morals and values together. For example in assemblies children sing hymns together in primary school, and in secondary school there is form time where children learn about other matters usually to do with basic morals. Durkheim also believed that during our education agreed values which would firstly be learnt at home e.g. sharing are reinforced in school, this allows children to fully learn the reason why these agreed value are used. He also said that specialist knowledge and skills needed for the workforce are learned during our education. As well as being able to read and write, manners and punctuality are two more important skills learned at school which are needed for the workforce.
