Aims and functions of education

Aims and functions of education

Aims of education is mainly concerned with direction rather than speed. It stands for the goals and objectives to be achieved. Factors influencing education are philosophy of life, nature, religion, politics, socio economic status, culture and technology. It has to focus on nurturing curiosity, enhancing creativity, development of proper attitudes and cultivation of skills. 

Aims of education mainly are:

• Utilitarian aim: A child should be able to utilize the knowledge in day to day life. Knowledge should be practical oriented, not theory oriented. The child should be motivated to think and answer what, why, how and when during the education process.
• Vocational aim: Education should help the child to earn livelihood so that he can lead a productive life in the society. Standard of the job has to be enhanced through means of education.
• Social aim: Education helps the child to go with the needs of society. It assists the child to become a useful member of the society irrespective of socio economic status.Education helps in the formation of social norms and molds the child to follow them peacefully. It teaches the child about moral ways and helps him/her to take decisions in the right way.
• Intellectual aim: Education enhances the intellectual capacity of the child by teaching the principles of life with evidences.
• Citizenship:Education motivates the child to perform his/her own duties and responsibilities as a citizen, for the welfare of the society.
• Physical health and well being: Education teaches the child about different ways of healthy life and helping to develop a positive attitude towards health and well being.
• Character development: It helps to inculcate human values, attitudes and habits which are essential for building a desirable character.
• Cultural development: It helps the child to acquire in depth knowledge on culture, thus, develop respect towards various cultures of the society.
• Education as entertainment: Education should not be a boring subject in child's life. It must entertain his/her life.
• Self respect: Education helps the child to look on himself/herself and would develop respect towards them. It acts as a key for them to lead a happy social life.
• Emotional maturity: It helps the child to acquire control on emotional behavior, thus leading a productive life in the society.
• Independent life: It helps the child to have an overall development includes positive personality, good character, sound knowledge and skills.

Functions of education

1. Helps the child to distinguish between right and wrong
2. Helps to grow as a citizen by respecting the laws
3. Helps to develop social skills
4. Helps to transfer cultural heritage to future generations
5. Helps to reform positive attitudes towards the society  
6. Helps the child to meet the needs of the society
7. Gives a status in the society
8. Encourages a healthy spirit of competition
9. Trains and molds the skills of the child
10. Helps the child to meet duties and responsibilities

Education as a process

Education as a process

Education is a process of gaining knowledge, acquiring and implementing skills and attitudes to lead a productive life in the society. Success of the education depends on way of training of a child in school, home and society. It is hoped that a teacher can mold the potentials of the child to the best through the best educative process. Educative process can be divided into four: bipolar, tripolar, multipolar and moreover, lifelong process.

• Bipolar process

According to this view, education consists of two persons; teacher and student. Here, teacher imparts knowledge and student acquires it. There should be cooperation and better understanding between them. Teacher should know the level of a student and student should have interest to learn with teacher.

• Tripolar process

Education is the process of an interaction of teacher, student and society or social environment. It is necessary to consider societal changes in education. A teacher should update the technological changes, revise the curriculum accordingly to develop the students as productive and useful persons to the society.

• Multipolar process

The new concept of education is influenced by teacher, student, social environment and other several factors. The education is more flexible than past, student centered and highly depends on technology. The student can access knowledge through any modes including e-learning. However, no one could explain precisely on type of factors influenced on education. It ranges from past experiences to upcoming technologies.

• Lifelong process

Education is the process of training a man throughout life and doesn't have an end. Education, at present, aims at continuous, but changing process to achieve broader goals of society.
Characteristics of educative process

• Knowledge embedded
• Based on application of skills
• Needs revision of curriculum  based on needs and demands of society
• Purpose oriented
• Planned activity