8 MARKERS
FUNCTIONALIST’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE ROLE OF EDUCATION
1. . Meritocratic role allocation.
. The functionally important roles are to be done by the most capable members of the society.
. Davis and Moore argue that the educational system ‘sifts and sorts’ individuals according to
their intelligence and capability.
. This way, education ensures that individuals get work for which they are suited and that there
are always the right number of individuals with the right skills and qualification for every work
that needs to be done
2. . It’s an important agency for secondary socialization
. Acts as a bridge between the primary socialization and the wider social world as it teaches
them the values that are a step higher than those learnt within the families.
. Parsons says that schools teach children the instrumental values, by judging them through
universalistic standards, which prepares them for their adult life.
. Therefore, education acts as a focal socializing agency that instills social cohesion in the society
by bridging the gap between family’s particularistic standards and the universalistic standards of
the world of work
MARXIST’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE ROLE OF EDUCATION
1.
. promotes false consciousness in the masses
. it convinces students that their failure is due to their lack of ability, rather than the system’s
fault.
. Althusser argues that schools serve as an ISA, which interpellated children into the subjects
that benefits the capitalist’s economy.
. this way, education disguises the exploitation done through ruling class, and maintain their
hold.
2. . Shapes students to be docile and compliant rather than independent thinkers
. this happens through setting and banding done in school, which force the students to conform
the authority to be in teacher’s good book.
. Bowles and Gintis correspondence principal, which mirrors workplace hierarchies and make
them active acceptors of inequality
. this way, education serves capitalism and reproduce compliant and obeying labours that
endlessly continue to serve ruling class