The Object of Education

The object of education should be to teach skills, not values.
Describe a specific situation in which the object of education might be teaching values rather than skills. Discuss what you think determines when the object of education is to teach skills and when it is to teach values.
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Every so often, a news agency releases a report on the failing educational system of the United States. Students, especially in the urban sector, fall short of meeting math and reading standards. Policies, such as No Student Left Behind, aim to solve the ubiquitous problem of low test scores. These news reports focus on the dangers that low student performance poses for the future. That is, these students will not be able to compete in the global workforce and maintain gainful employment. While the object of education ostensibly focuses on honing skills to support a secure economic future, it also serves political and social purposes. Namely, education also helps steer citizens toward values that buttress particular systems of government and provides a conduit for members of society to work together and in harmony.

Education allows a nation to mould its citizenry by inculcating values that help maintain a cohesive nation-state. In the case of the United States, democracy is the cornerstone of society. For a functioning democratic state, it is important to inculcate students with values such as free speech, citizen participation, and equality of all under the law---topics which are often covered in social science and history curriculum. Indeed, the values of democracy interwoven in school lessons will encourage students to make way for a future that is open to diverse ideas . In order for democracy to work, a nation must have the support of its citizens in the system itself and its promises for providing an optimal future.

Education also helps imbue character-building values which allow people to function well with their neighbors and integrate into society. Schools, for instance, may focus on group work so that students will learn how to get along with others and maximize the potential for ideas. Students are instructed to "fall in line" and "raise their hands"--helping them develop a sense of fairness and discipline. Indeed, learning to play by the rules is integral in succeeding as a student and thus, as a functioning adult in the future. Without having values such as a sense of fairness and rules to abide by, a person will find it difficult to integrate into a society; this includes among others, maintaining a job and interacting with people on a daily basis.

As mentioned earlier, the most apparent objective of education is to teach students skills that will help them to become economically independent in the future. Having a robust education at an early age prepares children to enter good universities and become competitive in the market place. Education not only aims to ensure better opportunities for students to someday become independent--it also helps students to perform the daily functions in life---including making decisions about shopping and following the signs when driving. Indeed, the basic reading and math skills of students' early education provide stepping stones to becoming a functioning member of society.

In order for a nation, such as the United States, to maintain its advantage in the world, it must seriously reflect on its educational trajectory. Education is the key to not only empowering citizens to have economically viable futures--it also encourages people to work with others as a community and strengthens governmental systems, such as democracy.