When Schooling Fails to Educate!
View(s):- A child educated only at school is an uneducated child.
Is schooling a means of acquiring education? Is schooling essential for education? Does education necessarily equate to schooling? These are critical questions that warrant careful consideration. In addressing the current state of education in Sri Lanka, and in light of the prevailing conditions within the education system, I must express a candid response: No. However, this response is not inherently negative, but rather an invitation for constructive change. I believe that such an answer, though seemingly pessimistic, is ultimately optimistic, realistic, and forward-thinking.
By acknowledging the flaws in the system, we open the door to necessary reforms that can improve both the direction and the outcomes of education in Sri Lanka.
While the terms “schooling” and “education” are often used interchangeably, they differ significantly in their scope and meaning. Schooling refers specifically to the process of acquiring knowledge within a formal educational institution, whereas education, in its broader sense, encompasses both formal and informal avenues of knowledge acquisition. Both schooling and education aim to equip individuals with knowledge, but schooling is a structured, institutionalised process, while education encompasses a wider range of experiences and learning environments. Education, therefore, must not be confined to the classroom or limited to what is taught within the formal school system. It should extend beyond the school setting, fostering creative thinking, critical thinking, analytical thinking, personal growth, and skill development to prepare individuals for the complexities of the modern world.
The role of teachers in this process is crucial. Teachers must not only impart knowledge but also serve as facilitators of a learning environment that promotes creativity, inquiry, and intellectual development. To fulfill this responsibility, teachers must continuously update their knowledge and enhance their professional competencies. The quality of education is inextricably linked to the interest, skill, and commitment of the educators themselves.
However, if the goals and objectives of the education system are not aligned with the demands of the contemporary workforce, the educational system becomes disconnected from the needs of society. In such cases, the education system is failing in its primary function: to prepare students for meaningful participation in the economy and society. If the system is not producing the desired outcomes, reforms must be implemented. Without such adjustments, the time, energy, and financial resources invested in education become futile, and the promise of schooling is undermined.
To be effective, schooling should be a holistic and enriching experience for students. Schools should not merely serve as institutions for academic instruction; they should be environments that foster innovation, critical thinking, and personal development. Ideally, a school should be a place where students feel motivated and inspired to learn, where intellectual discussions, creativity, and extracurricular activities form an integral part of the daily experience. Furthermore, schools must operate with a clear vision and mission, aiming not only for academic achievement but also for the overall development of students as responsible, ethical, and productive citizens.
The role of schooling in character formation and the instillation of values is particularly crucial in the primary years. It is during this period that students develop the foundations of discipline, work ethic, and social responsibility. However, this focus often diminishes as students progress to higher grades, particularly when the emphasis shifts toward preparing for competitive examinations. In this context, both students and teachers become preoccupied with achieving success in the Ordinary Level (O/L) and Advanced Level (A/L) exams, sometimes at the expense of the broader educational experience. As a result, the pursuit of exam-oriented learning begins to overshadow the development of critical life skills and values.
In certain cases, the limitations of the school system, particularly in upper grades, contribute to students seeking external support in the form of private tuition. When teachers in schools are not adequately prepared, or when the curriculum is not sufficiently updated, students often turn to tuition teachers who provide targeted exam preparation. This trend exacerbates the widening gap between the formal education system and supplementary learning, undermining the value of schooling itself. If teachers in schools can enhance their teaching practices, update their subject knowledge, and engage more effectively with students, school attendance would likely increase, as students would see the value in being present in the classroom.
The growing reliance on private tuition has created opportunities for unscrupulous individuals to profit from the educational system. Many ill-qualified tuition teachers employ aggressive marketing tactics to attract students, often promising high exam success rates without necessarily delivering quality education. Such tuition providers must be subject to regulation, ensuring that the standards of teaching and learning are maintained across both formal and informal educational settings. Tuition teachers should also be encouraged to improve their academic and professional qualifications, as well as the quality of their instructional practices, rather than focusing solely on increasing student numbers.
Ultimately, the proliferation of low-quality tuition teaching undermines the integrity of the education system. Students, driven by the need to perform well in exams, may be lured into the hands of ill-prepared tutors who are more interested in profit than in fostering genuine learning. Therefore, regulatory bodies must ensure the quality and integrity of tuition classes, just as they do for formal schools. Only then can we begin to address the imbalance between the formal education system and private tuition, restoring confidence in schooling as a valuable means of acquiring knowledge.
In conclusion, while schooling and education are closely related, they are not synonymous. Education encompasses a broader range of experiences, and schooling, as an institutionalised form of education, must be reformed to meet better the needs of students and the demands of the modern world. By investing in teachers, updating curricula, and ensuring the quality of both formal and informal education, Sri Lanka can build a more effective and equitable educational system that truly prepares students for the future.
Dr. Ajith Perera
- University Lecturer and English Education Consultant
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