Functions of Education

In order to analyse the functions of formal education systems we must first of all distinguish between pre-industrial societies where education is provided more informally in families, churches and workplaces and industrial societies where formal education systems expand [as an aspect of structural differentiation ]to meet the needs of industrial economies for more skilled specialised workers. We must also distinguish between the formal academic curriculum and the hidden curriculum which may be defined as the set of norms and values implicitly conveyed to pupils by teachers' words and actions and by the organisational processes operating in schools.

It is argued generally that education has several functions in society :

• the transmission of knowledge and skills;

• the provision of a bridging mechanism between the particularistic family and the more universalistic wider society ;

• the transmission of attitudes and values as an aspect of the socialisation process ;

• the allocation of individuals to appropriate roles in society;

• he compensatory function whereby disadvantaged students may receive additional assistance offset the disadvantages of a poor background.

The Functionalist Approach.

It was stressed by Emile Durkheim that that the formal education system becomes increasingly important for the transmission of knowledge and skills in industrial societies as scientific progress and the division of labour generate increasingly complex occupations (chemist, accountant, doctor etc.) whose skills need to be taught by specialist educators and cannot be passed simply from parents to children as was the case with the simpler occupations of pre-industrial societies. Durkheim pointed out also that education eases children’s transition from the particularistic family to the universalistic work environment and also, very importantly that education plays an important role in the socialisation process.

The Functionalist approach was updated and refined by...