Category: Importance of Education

There are still many poor people who don’t have enough money to let their children go to school, many of them are smart and talented, but they do not have the chance to be educated. This is a loss to society. So how can we make sure this does not happen? By international human rights law, primary education should be free of charge; compulsory education and secondary and higher education should be progressively provided free of charge. From my point of view, providing free education all over the world will be a good solution to let all the children have the chance to be educated. Free education should be supported because it can help achieve better social equality and more social harmony, and it can help enlighten society.

Firstly, free education helps to improve social equality. In 1879, Matthew Arnold first put forward the concept of social equality, including that all humans should have equal rights and opportunities. Free education can help to maintain equality. In a website article titled ‘John Locke on Equality, Toleration, and the Atheist Exception’, the author depicts John Locke’s idea as follows: a man is free and equal in nature, and he must believe that he is still free and equal when he enters society. Therefore, for Locke, the establishment of the state is based on guaranteed equality. Without such equality, there is no motivation to enter society. In an article titled ‘Overcoming Inequality Through Education’, Heather Munroe-Blum explains the relationship between education and social equality. She suggests that education may be the most important means of improving the welfare of the disadvantaged, especially as more and more of the world enters the global knowledge society, and is a cornerstone of improving social justice and economic productivity. In a nutshell, free education can let all the children have the chance to go to school. A family could be poor, but the children still could still be educated. Education can change the social status of disadvantaged groups and make them get better treatment in society. That will make society less despairing, and each person in society will be more equal.

Also, free education should be supported because it promotes social harmony. In ‘Role of Education in Building a Harmonious Society: Challenges and Opportunities’, Rajasingham Narendran defines social harmony as follows: “Social harmony refers to the building of a harmonious society within a country”. In addition, the author also explains that when a society is inherently unjust, unequal, and does not provide equal opportunities, it is not harmonious. The ‘America and South Africa Homicide Rate’ data shows that for every 100,000 people, there are, on average, 33 people murdered, in America, just 8. This shows that when a society is fair and equal, it will be harmonious. Free education will let people become equal and have equal opportunities. America has more people being educated than South Africa, which makes society safer, the number of people murdered is also relatively small. To promote a safe and harmonious society, we need to have free education all over the world.

Last, free education should be supported because it promotes enlightenment, meaning the act of enlightening or the state of being enlightened. Enlightenment can be achieved by free education. ‘The Roots of Educational Theory’ describes John Locke’s views on education. John Locke believes that a gentleman must receive an education that will lead to a successful life in the practical affairs of society. In today’s words, vital subjects would include subjects like math, science, and language. There is no better measurement of education systems than that of the PISA tests. The book ‘PISA 2015 Results’ tested children from different countries’ math problems and it demonstrated, with graphs, the average math score of them. The data shows that countries with a higher education background and more people are educated generally achieve better. Countries that do not provide a universal system or only very basic education achieve only a margin of what those that provide free education. Hence, free education would help to create, as Locke would have said, an enlightened society.

My opponents might argue that free education will cost the government a lot of money. The government makes money by collecting taxes, about 65 percent of the taxes the federal government collects come from individuals. According to ‘The Declaration of Independence and Natural Rights’, Locke wrote that all men are equal in the sense that they are born with certain inalienable natural rights, the natural rights being life, liberty, and property. The government takes tax from people’s wages to achieve free education, this is the deprivation of people’s property. Still, overall, my position is stronger because free education is good for the whole society and can let every citizen get rights. People are a part of society, and although free education will cost some money from the government, it will let society be better and everyone will get rights.

Free education around the world needs to be supported because it helps to achieve equality and social harmony, and it helps to enlighten society. Thanks to this, our society will become better. When our society achieves equality, every individual in society can get the same rights and opportunities. Equality is the basis for promoting this social harmony. Social harmony will decrease conflict and make our society safe. When society achieves equality and harmony, everyone’s life will be better. Free education can make the world go forward, everyone in society can be educated, it is a way to reduce the gap between rich and poor and create a better society. Free education can change a person’s status in society, let everyone’s life become better, and make society go forward.

Background

Education is a human right and a force for sustainable development and peace and the very goal of the 2030 Agenda requires education to empower people with the knowledge, skills, and values to live in dignity, build their lives, and contribute to their societies (UNESCO, 2021). Inequality is a barrier to ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all (ESCAP, 2021).

Education inequality is simply defined as the unequal distribution of academic resources which may include school funding, textbooks, experienced teachers, and, technology. The spread of the novel COVID-19 also known as coronavirus created the largest disruption of education systems in human history, affecting nearly 1.6 billion learners in more than 200 countries (Pokhrel & Chhetri, 2021). The first case was identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. As of 29 August 2021, Worldometer had recorded 217,100,627 Coronavirus cases, 4,513,249 deaths, and 194,031,701 recoveries. Malawi had a total of 60,313 cases, with 2157 deaths and 47,014 recoveries. Countries around the world cautioned the public to take responsive care like practicing social distancing, wearing face masks and, regularly washing hands with soap. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to dramatic changes in every aspect of humanity (Magomedov et al., 2020). It greatly affected the world as it has led to several problems in various sectors such as social life, industry, and education.

Inequalities existed along many dimensions before the pandemic hit, across the population and between different groups – by gender, ethnicity, age, and geography (Blundell et al., 2020). Source: Inequality in Education: A Critical Analysis, 2009.

Jacob and Holsinger (2009) argue that the range of inequality in schooling attainment across countries is much greater than the range of inequality in income or consumption. The figure above shows the worldwide distribution of the education Gini Coefficient. Countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean display the highest levels of inequality as compared to countries in Europe, Central Asia, and North America. The COVID-19 pandemic widened the already existing gap in education and this exposed the many inadequacies and inequities in our education systems – from access to broadband and computers needed for online education, and the supportive environments needed to focus on learning, up to the misalignment between resources and needs (Schleicher, 2020).

While the need for distance learning was clear from the outset of the pandemic, achieving effective reach to students was more complex (eLearning Africa, 2020). The transition to distance learning was much easier in developed countries than in developing countries because the infrastructure needed for facilitating distance learning was not easy for schools in developing countries (Saeed, 2020). Developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa were against online education primarily due to poor internet services and a rejection of online education. This created discrimination among the students of poor and rich or urban and rural because those from the urban areas or rich families had the capability of learning in these difficult times. Educational institutions were also affected by Covid-19 in Malawi and this resulted in the closure of public and private education institutions on 23 March after President Mutharika declared the Covid-19 pandemic a national disaster.

Problem statement

Most studies on education inequality have found that the poor are the most disadvantaged. According to Mussa and Masanjala (2015), the acquisition of educational qualifications in Malawi becomes more regressive as the qualification level rises. The percentage of boys and girls in urban areas with a given education qualification is higher than that of those in rural areas because the gap between the haves and have-nots in all societies is a significant factor that contributes to inequality in education. Wilson (2021) argued that inequality in education can be measured through the relationship between educational attainment and family background. The attainment gap affects the rate of a person’s enrolment in secondary and tertiary education. Pokhrel and Chhetri (2021) focused mainly on the impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic on teaching and learning. They emphasized that there is a paradigm shift in the way teachers deliver quality education through various online platforms. Different subjects and age groups require different approaches to online learning because of the varying needs each subject has. A study that was done by Baulch, Botha, and Pauw (2020) suggested that the closure of schools would account for substantial shares of total GDP losses due to social distancing. There hasn’t been enough literature on how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted students by widening the gap that has already existed in the education sector.

The closure of schools in Malawi required the government to replace classroom teaching with distance learning (online learning) so as to keep students busy in their respective places of abode. The majority of private schools were able to adopt online learning and this further widened the inequality gap that already existed in the education sector as students from public schools and those from low-income families or extreme poverty were completely left stranded. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a number of impacts on the education sector which has exacerbated the already existing gap in inequality and these include; the digital divide due to limited access to technology, mental health consequences, girls being negatively affected disproportionately, children receiving no education, children with disabilities not being in touch with their teachers and children learning less through online education (Human Right Watch, 2020).

This paper will look at the impacts of COVID-19 on the inequality gap in the education sector in Malawi because most researchers have only focused on the causes of inequality in education during the pandemic without giving the extent to which the pandemic increased the inequality gap in education.

Justification of the study

This study tries to fathom the reasons why education inequality has been exacerbated during the Coronavirus pandemic in Malawi. Magomedov, Khaliev, and Khubolov (2021) only focused on the positive and negative impacts the pandemic has had on the education sector. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities is very far from being reached (Hughes, 2021). Not all learners can access education to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote development during the pandemic because of different factors like their socioeconomic status and gender. Goal 3 which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being at all ages is also far from being reached because children who go to school are taught how to take care of themselves and others during the pandemic. Those that could’ learn like those from rural areas were not fully aware of how they could reduce the spread of Coronavirus which will eventually lead to increased numbers of people contracting the deadly virus. There hasn’t been enough literature on how the pandemic has intensified the already existing inequality gap in the education sector. The most probable reason for the widening inequality gap in education is due to the poverty levels in the country that brought about obstacles to the effectiveness of distance learning proposed by the government (eLearning Africa, 2020).

Critical Discussion

The assignment is tackled so that there is a reliance on learning theories, literature, and examples of curriculum design in practice to discuss the importance of the primary art curriculum critically. In the analysis of Ofsted (2018), curriculum design has to be regarded as being important when its intent, implementation, and impact are used as the framework necessary for the assessment of the quality of education. Art education has become increasingly important in primary school, where teachers and other stakeholders have become accustomed to working on the creative and innovative skills of learners at any given moment. I will focus on the use of examples derived from a school’s website for the sake of examining the importance of art at a time when science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) has been the central theme in modern education. The key questions that I am determined to address include; Is art education important in the primary school curriculum? How can art education be promoted within primary school settings?

It has to be noted that the curriculum design in practice that is referred to in this context are ones that are contained within the evidence portfolio where they have been taken from the website of one of the primary schools. The inclusion of the statement contains the curriculum values related to art education, the policies that are pursued, the guidelines, and other related aspects.

Analysis of the term ‘curriculum’ has always been associated with many debatable ideas that make it quite complex. In the analysis of Barlett and Burton (2012), ‘curriculum’ is portrayed as the syllabus of activities while other scholars and researchers that include Wiles and Bondi (2006) perceive it as the systematic sequence that is associated with the planned learning goals. In my considered view, I regard ‘curriculum’ as the comprehensive framework that is characterized by the overall content, purpose, and organization of any given educational program. Such a perception is in line with Kelly’s (2004) stipulations that focus on the totality that comes about when pupils are exposed to a certain set of learning materials.

Modern-day learning environments have continued being organized and structured in such ways that have been giving science and mathematics the top priority where the emphasis is laid on ensuring that pupils develop the necessary skills, competencies, and understanding that prepare them for future courses and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). According to Herne, Cox & Watts (2009), such a framework has always disregarded the role of art education in pupils’ lives. Art has been greatly sacrificed to accommodate science and mathematics in a greatly changing world.

Despite the situation observed concerning the changing trends against art education, research has continued showing that there is a need for arts integration in schools. Atkinson & Dash (2005) observe that it was not long ago that arts education in schools was regarded as a luxury where the art classes had to be cut from the curriculum to accommodate other subjects. Currently, Hill & Robertson (2011) opine that there is lots of information that makes it logical that arts integration is crucial for creating well-rounded and well-prepared learners and leaders.

The school website whose ideas and concepts have been utilized as an art education that deals with drama, fine arts, music, and movement. Arts have since been regarded as an integral part of the curriculum, where they are part of the core classroom curricula and the teaching of specific artistic abilities and skills. The operational framework of this school has led to the understanding that working in the arts has a role in helping learners in the development of problem-solving skills.

In the analysis of Hickman (2010), art education has to be lauded based on the fact that teaching via the arts can ensure the presentation of difficult concepts visually in such a move that makes them easy to comprehend. Moreover, art instruction in primary school has become instrumental when it comes to the aspect of helping children in the development of language skills, motor skills, decision-making, social skills, risk-taking, and inventiveness.

The transformation in the curriculum that has been undertaken in recent years regarding art education can be interpreted as the emphasis on the role that is being played by the arts in shaping the understandings of the pupils regarding the beauty of the world around them. Wilson (2015) observes that visual arts can teach learners about layout balance, color, and perspective. These are the techniques that are necessary when it comes to the enhancement of the presentations that are necessary for other areas of academic work.

The curriculum’s essence is to ensure that learners get the best out of their learning environment by comprehending the best ideas and concepts that are available to them by their teachers. It is the same approach that has been used by Rayment (2007), who has the conviction that the prospect of integrating art with other disciplines can reach out to the pupils who otherwise might not have been able to be engaged in classwork. It is a situation that has been justified by what is happening at the school whose information is covered in this context where art education is at the fulcrum of all the teaching programs.

The school is looking at how learning that is being administered by the teachers can have wholesome impacts on the learners at any given moment. It is based on this understanding that there are numerous aspects of art education that are being offered to learners to enhance their art experiences in a move that will boost their critical thinking. Pupils are being taught to ensure that at any given moment, they have to ensure that they take time to become careful and thorough in their perceptions of the world.

The art curriculum is playing an instrumental role in nurturing, encouraging, and building on creativity to ensure that pupils get the opportunities to be taught creative subjects skills. The rationale of the curriculum in this context is to ensure that creative subjects that have been disregarded in the modern day in the primary curriculum are given a chance. Subjects like art, dance, drama, and music are taught in this school in the specific subjects where there are qualified specialists called upon to engage in the teaching obligations in the afternoons.

The implication from the information on the school’s website is that arts are being taught to the learners to provide challenges for them at all levels. It is a situation that resonates with the observations of Kenyon (2019) that art education has the potential of connecting students with their culture and that associated with the wider world. In the research report captured by Hickman (2010), young people who take part in arts regularly starting from three hours a day on three days each week for a year are regarded as being four times more likely to perform well in academics.

The same students are expected to participate in the math and science fair and stand a chance of winning awards in writing essays compared to those who do not participate. In the analysis of Kenyon (2019), greater arts education is associated with reduced disciplinary infractions and increased school attendance and graduation rates. Families, communities, and the larger society will be determined to have a situation where the importance of art education in primary schools is recognized and appreciated by the teachers and learners at any given moment.

In this assignment, I have managed to discuss the importance of art education in primary school critically. It has demonstrated that the school allocates more time to art education than undertaken elsewhere across the UK. The fact that art is taught for at least three hours three days a week implies a high level of seriousness by the teaching staff and the management of the school. Literature has led to the understanding that art education is quite important not only to the learners but also to society at large since the skills, knowledge, and competencies that are imparted to learners can be of greater use in the future for the benefit of individuals, communities and the larger society.

As an educator, I will be at the forefront of promoting the art curriculum in primary school environments since I now have a comprehensive understanding of its effectiveness. My strategic and operational framework will be built around trying to bring various key stakeholders like the school management team, teachers, parents, and pupils on board to convince them of the need to focus on the arts curriculum that has otherwise been disregarded to a large extent in recent years. My line of thinking will be based on the ideas that have been derived from literature, theories, and the website of the school that leads to the understanding that art education is mandatory in a changing world since it initiates and nurtures various values in the learners that are going to be instrumental in their future personal and professional lives to their benefits and their communities at large moving forward.

References

1. Atkinson, D., & Dash, P. (2005). Social and critical practice in art education. Trentham Books Ltd.
2. Bartlett, S. and Burton, D. (2012). Introduction to education studies (3rd ed.). Sage Publications Ltd.
3. Herne, S., Cox, S., & Watts, R. (2009). Readings in primary art education. Intellect Books.
4. Hickman, R. D. (2010). Critical studies in art & design education. Intellect Books.
5. Hill, D., & Robertson, L. H. (2011). Equality in the primary school: Promoting good practice across the curriculum. Continuum International Publications.
6. Kelly, A. V. (2004). The curriculum: theory and practice (5th ed.). Sage Publications Ltd.
7. Kenyon, G. (2019). The arts in primary education: Breathing life, color, and culture into the curriculum. Bloomsbury Education.
8. Ofsted. (2018). An investigation into how to assess the quality of education through curriculum intent, implementation, and impact. Retrieved from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/766252/How_to_assess_intent_and_implementation_of_curriculum_191218.pdf
9. Rayment, T. (2007). The problem of assessment in art and design. Intellect Books.
10. Wiles, J. and Bondi, J. (2006). Curriculum development: A guide to practice (7th ed.). Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.
11. Wilson, A. (2015). Creativity in primary education. Learning Matters Ltd.

In the world that surrounds us today, kids all over are constantly frustrated and annoyed with education. But what if kids didn’t have the opportunity to gain an education? Would that be a gift or a burden? For a kid coming from lots of conflict, poverty, and oppression, education may be neither a gift nor a burden. So the text that answers the question above is “Nervous Conditions” by Tsitsi Dangarembga. This is told from the perspective of a young Rhodesian girl by the name of Tambu. Tambu endures many challenges and struggles while trying to seek education like her late brother Nhamo. She fails to understand that this would be a difficult task due to her being a woman, along with her attempt to transform to English ways while seeking education. This essay will prove how Tambu’s challenges will prevent her from getting away from poverty and oppression. First, it will be shown that Tambu will never get away from the poverty and oppression in colonized Africa because her transformation to English ways disrupts the ways of her native culture. Next, Tambu’s life away from the homestead while seeking education seems like a getaway but is surrounded by her family’s conflict/oppression. Lastly, Dangarembga’s idea of African womanhood is reflected as a burden to Tambu due to the struggles and treatment she endures. Although education is considered the key to getting away from poverty and oppression in colonized Africa, Tambu understands she’ll never get away because of her native culture, family oppression, and the burden of womanhood.

Tambu will never get away from the poverty and oppression in colonized Africa because her transformation to English ways disrupts the ways of her native culture. Tambu is taught about her culture and family history. Colonization causes natives to lose their land and culture, and the colonizers enslaved natives. In chapter 2 Tambu’s grandmother states, “… lured by the wizard’s whispers of riches and luxury and driven by the harshness of the homestead, took himself and his family to one of their wizard farms. Only to find that they had been enticed into slavery.”. Tambu’s family history with the English had caused them to be enslaved. This is a message to show Tambu how seeking education through English may be a trap to pull her away from her native culture. English colonization promoted the physical and mental conditions in which the Rhodesians lived through. Jean Paul-Sartre stated, “The condition of the native is a nervous condition.”. The modernized ways of the English live by are much more industrialized than those of Tambu’s Shona culture. The quote above gives deeper meaning to Tambu’s conditions as a Rhodesian based on the act of “assimilation” she endures. Tambu also has a hard time finding a balance between life at the school and life at the homestead. Tambu stated, “I was going to be developed in the way that Babamukuru saw fit, which in the language I understood at the time meant well. Having developed well I did not foresee that there would be reason to regress on the occasions that I returned to the homestead.”(Pg.59). For Tambu to transition towards Education, she has to focus on English ways and forget her native culture. Tambu’s transition from Rhodesia to English ways has disrupted the ways of her native culture due to the imbalance and differences between the two.

Tambus’s life away from the homestead, while seeking education, seems like a getaway but is surrounded by her family’s conflicts and oppression. Before Tambu goes off to seek education, she states that all the oppression and tension she endures is because of her deceased brother. In Chapter 1 Tambu stated, “ I was not sorry when my brother died. Nor am I apologizing for my callousness…”(Pg.1). Tambu feels as if had Nhamo never passed away, she wouldn’t have ever been in the middle of conflicts. Babamukuru role in the family was formed towards the idea that he was the head of power. In chapter 8 Tambu stated, “My vagueness and my reverence for my uncle, what he was, what he had achieved, and what he represented and therefore what he wanted, had stunted the growth of my faculty of criticism, sapped the energy that in childhood I had used to define my position.”(Pg.164). Everyone had to follow what he said and what he wanted to happen because of him being educated and being a male. His decisions left many unhappy, but it was what they had to follow. Everyone looked up to him. Tambu is stressed over her parent’s wedding, which falls back on her because she is confused and upset. This causes her to run away. In chapter 8 Tambu said, “I knew I had not taken a stand on many issues since coming to the mission, but all along I had been thinking that it was because there had been no reason to…”(Pg. 164). Everything was falling back on Tambu, even after escaping life at the homestead.  

Introduction

The Renaissance, a period of significant cultural and intellectual growth in Europe from the 14th to the 17th century, witnessed remarkable advancements in various fields, including art, literature, and science. Education played a pivotal role during this transformative era, shaping the minds of individuals and contributing to the intellectual progress of society. This essay provides an informative overview of schooling during the Renaissance, exploring its key characteristics, curriculum, teaching methods, and impact on society.

Schooling Structure and Institutions

During the Renaissance, schooling was primarily accessible to the privileged classes, such as the nobility, wealthy merchants, and clergy. The education system was hierarchical, with different levels of institutions catering to various age groups and social statuses. The primary stages of education included the elementary school, grammar school, and university.

Elementary schools were the first step in a child’s education, typically admitting children between the ages of 6 and 7. These schools focused on basic literacy and numeracy skills. Grammar schools, also known as Latin schools, were the next level of education and primarily catered to boys from affluent families. Here, students studied Latin grammar, rhetoric, logic, and classical literature.

University education was the pinnacle of academic pursuits during the Renaissance. Universities were centers of higher learning, attracting students from various regions. Prominent universities such as the University of Padua, University of Bologna, and University of Paris offered a wide range of subjects, including philosophy, theology, law, medicine, and natural sciences.

Curriculum and Subjects

The Renaissance curriculum was heavily influenced by classical education, drawing inspiration from ancient Greek and Roman scholars. Latin formed the foundation of education, serving as the language of instruction and communication in academic settings. The study of Greek, classical literature, and philosophy was also prominent.

In addition to the humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, and music were integral parts of Renaissance education. Mathematics emphasized arithmetic, geometry, and algebra. Natural sciences included astronomy, physics, and botany. Music was considered a vital part of a well-rounded education, with the study of theory, composition, and performance being central.

Teaching Methods

Teaching methods during the Renaissance primarily revolved around a combination of lecturing and memorization. The emphasis was on the mastery of classical texts through reading, recitation, and oral exercises. Students were expected to engage in extensive memorization of texts and recite passages with accuracy and eloquence.

Teachers, known as masters or professors, played a crucial role in guiding students through the educational process. They were highly knowledgeable in their respective fields and employed various pedagogical techniques, including questioning, discussions, and debates, to encourage critical thinking and intellectual growth.

Impact on Society

The Renaissance educational system had a profound impact on society. It fostered a spirit of humanism, encouraging individuals to explore and embrace the potential of the human mind. Education became a means of social mobility, allowing talented individuals from humble backgrounds to rise in society based on merit.

The emphasis on classical texts and the study of ancient civilizations broadened intellectual horizons and challenged traditional beliefs. Renaissance scholars, armed with knowledge from a variety of disciplines, contributed to advancements in art, literature, philosophy, and science. This intellectual progress laid the groundwork for the Age of Enlightenment, which followed in the centuries to come.

Moreover, Renaissance education played a crucial role in cultivating a literate and educated elite who became patrons of the arts, supporters of scientific discoveries, and proponents of societal progress. These educated individuals influenced politics, governance, and cultural developments, shaping the trajectory of European societies.

Conclusion

Schooling during the Renaissance was characterized by a hierarchical structure, a curriculum influenced by classical education, and a focus on humanistic values. Despite being limited primarily to the privileged classes, Renaissance education had a lasting impact on society. It nurtured a spirit of intellectual curiosity, contributed to advancements in various fields, and fostered a renaissance of knowledge and creativity. The educational practices and philosophies of this era continue to shape modern education systems, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking, exploration, and the pursuit of knowledge.