Schools have many functions, but the most important one is to teach students how to learn. Without this ability, a civilised society would rapidly turn into a mass of illiterate barbarians.
Schooling also prepares kids for work and provides socialization opportunities. Students who regularly attend school tend to do better in life than those who don’t.
The Purpose of Schooling
Schools are a common social institution that serves a number of different purposes. These include academic (intellectual), political and civic, socialization, and economic. Some of these goals are intrinsic to schooling, while others are not.
For example, an intrinsic purpose of school is to expand the mind and help students become more curious about the world around them. This is often accomplished by introducing them to many different subjects and cultures. In addition, students are surrounded by hundreds of other people their own age, which can teach them how to interact with others and respect differences in opinion.
However, it is impossible for a single school to accomplish all of these goals simultaneously. Achieving each of these goals requires time and energy that is not always available. Therefore, schools must decide what priorities to establish and what goals are achievable in the limited amount of time they have. This may also involve setting goals that are not necessarily measurable by conventional methods.
The Function of Schools
A school’s function is twofold: to educate students and to socialize them. Education involves teaching general skills, such as reading, writing, and arithmetic, and also specific job-related skills. It also transmits values and beliefs that are important to society. Sociologist Talcott Parsons defines education as a process of “socialization through learning.”
The socialization component of schools helps prepare students to enter the larger social world. By introducing them to different social groups and teaching them how to navigate social hierarchies, schools help prepare students for the challenges of adult life.
Schooling also teaches students to respect authority. This is a fundamental aspect of society, and it’s a good thing that students learn to obey teachers and other authorities in their early years. It also teaches students how to be part of a team, which is an important skill in the workplace and in life. Schooling also provides students with an opportunity to develop a positive self-image, which is another important element in life.
The Organization of Schools
A school is a complex organization that must simultaneously pursue a number of different goals. These goals include educating students and fostering their holistic development in an environment that is supportive of learning. The organizational structure of a school includes leadership structures, educational goals and objectives, staff and student populations, and facilities.
Despite a widespread perception that schools function as a sort of personnel department for business and industry, the vast majority of school districts and individual schools are not directly tied to any specific economic or political interests. However, this does not mean that schools do not have a social mandate to educate students for the benefit of their communities.
The structure of a school must be flexible enough to encourage collaborative efforts and adapt to a changing world. This is not easy given the traditional bureaucratic model that has characterized most schools with tall administrative hierarchies and centralized decision-making. However, the rise of localism and decentralization has shifted the balance of power to individual schools.
The Authority of Schools
In addition to their formal education function, schools are also expected to promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of pupils. This is not a new function, but it is one which is often overlooked in the rush to make sure that every child is educated to the highest level.
Students must be taught to respect authority & conform to the law; this is a fundamental part of their learning experience. This will help them to live in a society where they will continue to be subject to people with authority over them.
Schools are also expected to provide additional social services for their students, such as health & welfare services & food distribution. These are responsibilities that they must take seriously and it is vital to involve the local community in order to maximise the benefits of these extra functions. This can be done by encouraging parents to support their children with their schooling, as well as through local business & organisational partnerships.