Diversity and Function of School and Education

 

Diversity and Function of School and Education

Author: Santosh Kumar Biswa, Sr. Teacher, Damphu CS, Tsirang, Bhutan

 

Abstract

Today, education is still seen as an inaccessible right for many children across the globe. It is said that over 72 million primary education children are not going to school and over 759 million adults are said to be illiterate forcing them to be in very poor living conditions (Humanium, n.d.). Many children and adults are excluded from getting an education due to various reasons including race, gender, poverty, and economic status. Among them, poverty is one obstinate barrier that does not let any children from the poorest households remain without schooling. On the other hand, the barriers to educational equality are due to segregation in school in terms of racial and economic and they are all due to persisting inequality and marginalization. Moreover, another major issue is due to a fiscal deficit in developing countries causing education to be a major issue for many countries (Humanium, n.d.).

The location of children from school is another barrier that keeps them away from getting an education because most children live in rural areas and cannot make up for schooling had threatens their ability to prepare themselves for a better future (UNICEF, n.d.).

The Diversity of Educational Experiences Children Have in My Context

Bhutanese students didn’t face any kind of disparities right from the decades. All children are provided with compulsory free education by the government the Bhutanese children ranging from 6 to 16 years for educational equity to reach gender priority in the schools unlike the rest of the world (Schuelka, n.d.). Article 9:16 of the principles of state policy as per the provisions in ‘The Constitution of The Kingdom of Bhutan,’ states, “The State shall provide free education to all children of school-going age up to the tenth standard and ensure that technical and professional education is made generally available and that higher education is equally accessible to all based on merit” (Ministry of Education, 2019). In line with the guiding principle, “schools should accommodate all children, regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic, or other conditions. All educational policies say the Framework should stipulate that disabled children attend the neighborhood school 'that would be attended if the child did not have a disability” of UNESCO (CSIE, 2020), Bhutan started with special education and inclusive education in Bhutan as a primary right based policy so that no child will be left out in getting the education with differing abilities.

The gaining popularity of the English language among Bhutanese children is due to the strong Western influences in Bhutan and the lack of resources of its native Dzongkhag language (Rinchen, 1999). English has been always the medium of instruction in schools since the start of modern education in Bhutan. Despite so much emphasis given to education for all in Bhutan, children face lots of problems due to the shortage of educational resources and facilities. Because of something wrong with the way teachers’ career growth is structured, most teachers were found leaving the profession (Kuensel, 2018) due to the amount of workload, poor working conditions, limited professional development, and remuneration causing to shortage of teachers in most of the schools. On the other hand, overcrowded classes are another challenge that students face in Bhutan pertaining to acquiring quality education. It is only recently that the government in Bhutan has recommended pay revision concerning the status of teachers and to retain them in the profession through motivation. All subjects in Bhutan are taught in the English language except for the national language in Dzongkha. Basically, Education in Bhutan focuses on universal education including the concept of Green School in which the role of education is based on the needs of society, in socializing people through the transmission of common values in life and the social control at a point a time. Moreover, the learning experience that each child gets isn’t within the four walls but to the extent of his home or even the larger society (Olusegun, 2019). Such theory advocates liberty rights through individualism whereby the learner experiences competition gaining social and self-esteem. It addresses the very purpose of education in my country and fulfills the needs of society in the context of Gross National Happiness in terms of social integration and placement, socialization in the community, professional development training, and finally cultural innovation. Moreover, students through the different teaching subjects are trained with the norms and values of society to build a better community in the near future.

 The idea of Schooling possessing a Sociological Function

It really fits with the idea of schooling possessing a sociological function as discussed above. As education is able to fulfill the various needs of society, the concept of socialization is infused through various value-integrated lessons in our context because our education is based on the concept of Gross National Happiness. Education as a primary medium, the Bhutanese lessons are filled with skills, norms, and values that include respect, patriotism, punctuality, and competition (Saylor, n.d.). On the other hand, the system of free and compulsory education to all, inclusive of special and inclusive education is the mark of social integration through the various subjects taught in our system that enables us to prepare our students for life and integrate them into Bhutanese culture and tradition. Finally, the concept of social and cultural innovation is rooted in our curriculum in building our students through quality education with a special focus on a variety of subjects taught in the classroom. We have different forms of schools such as Zoric-Chusum (Art and sculpture school), Vocational Training schools, Art and Cultural schools, etc. to meet the sociological aspects of education so that students make up their life based on their chosen path in life and play key roles in educational procedures.

What should the function and purpose of school and education be?

According to me, the main function and purpose of school and education are to something that prepare students with the fullest required development that enables them to lead their life morally and productively through quality socialization in a democratic society. Through quality education, it should prepare them to be able to take their adult life with social values and customs. It should be the medium for them to move ahead with ultimate success in life. Education is observed as the foundation of a society that excels in social prosperity and political stability which ultimately uplifts economic wealth. Moreover, it should prepare youth to a better leader of the country, equipped with the required knowledge and skills in life so that they can participate effectively in representing their society and can make a valuable contribution towards the shared values and common identity.

 

Reference

Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education. (2020). The UNESCO Salamanca Statement. Retrieved 19 July 2021 from http://www.csie.org.uk/inclusion/unesco-salamanca.shtml

Humanium. (n.d.). Right to Education: Situation around the world. Retrieved 19 July 2021 from https://www.humanium.org/en/right-to-education/

Kuensel. (2018). Teacher attrition rate is a national concern. Retrieved 19 July 2021 from https://kuenselonline.com/teacher-attrition-rate-is-a-national-concern/

Ministry of Education. (2019). National Education Policy. Retrieved 19 July 2021 from http://www.education.gov.bt/wp-content/downloads/publications/publication/National-Education-Policy.pdf

Olusegun, M. H. (2019). What is the importance of sociology of education to a teacher and why? Retrieved 16 July 2021 from https://www.quora.com/profile/Mohammed-Hazzan-Olusegun

Rinchen, S. (1999). Why Do Children Fare Better in English than Dzongkha (National Language) in the Schools of Bhutan in All Grade Levels? Retrieved 19 July 2021 from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED433703.pdf

Saylor (n.d.). Social Problems Continuity and Change. Retrieved 19 July 2021 from https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_social-problems-continuity-and-change/s14-02-sociological-perspectives-on-e.html

Schuelka, M. J. (n.d.). Inclusive Education in Bhutan: A Small State with Alternative Priorities. Retrieved 19 July 2021 from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1000220.pdf

 UNICEF. (n.d.). Education: Every child has the right to learn. Retrieved 19 July 2021 from https://www.unicef.org/education