Answer to Question #217645 in English for Gaskin

Question

Around the world, many children do not have access to education for a variety of reasons including race, gender, and economic status. 

• Explain the diversity of educational experiences children have in your context.
• How does that fit with the idea of schooling having a sociological function? 
• What should the function and purpose of school and education be?

Answer 1

Part 1

Language; Due to the significant linguistic variety and the necessity of understanding foreign languages such as English in getting jobs, most educational institutions provide teaching in languages that both instructors and students do not fully comprehend. As a result, UNICEF urges education ministries to teach students in their native language.

Inadequate facilities and education Across African countries, children face a shortage of educational resources and learning chances. Because of low wages, some schools, particularly those in rural regions, do not have instructors. There are no classrooms in semi-arid and dry locations; students perform their classwork under trees and write on the ground since there are no amenities such as books and desks.

Migration from rural to urban areas Most families travel to cities searching for work to supplement their income. As they relocate with their families, their children attend schools in metropolitan areas, resulting in an inflow of students and huge class sizes, with a significant number of students for each teacher. Teachers are unable to meet the needs of all students, resulting in poor performance on standardized tests.

Culture Western teaching methods are employed in African classrooms. Children are taught in languages such as English, French, and German. Because of differences in cultures and ethnic groupings, children are not educated in their mother tongue. Cultural ideas and practices influence how students and teachers communicate in the classroom.

Marginalization Nomads and pastoralists are constantly marginalized, but ethnic groups exposed to western education receive a decent education. Because nomads migrate from place to place, there are no schools or classes in disadvantaged regions. There are mobile schools in some areas, while youngsters learn under trees and on stones in others.

Disability prevalence According to the prevalence of disability, this has occurred due to a lack of preventative and rehabilitative services to care for children with impairments. Many disabled youngsters do not attend school. They beg on the streets, and some are kept in their homes for fear of being stigmatized.

Part 2

Education is getting more varied. Several educators have noticed that among many learners are those who speak different languages, those who are gifted, those who have impairments, and those who are culturally diverse. Even though learners differ greatly, they are all encouraged to fulfil educational goals and standards. For example, EFA rules accommodate all learners in all areas to ensure that every kid attends school and that all learners receive a uniform education throughout the world. There is a greater emphasis on integrating students with impairments into normal classes. This is known as inclusive education. Educators are urged to have commonalities in examination outcomes despite a heterogeneous group of students. Cultural influences affect all elements of educational practices. Cultural variety provides opportunities for all learners to learn from one another. It allows students to learn about different languages, traditions, and points of view from throughout the world. Cultural variety decreases ignorance caused by a lack of exposure, helps learners develop cross-cultural competency, prepares them for the real world, and plays key roles in educational procedures.

Part 3

The functions of schooling are to socialize children to perform required adult roles, to keep children busy, to reduce opportunities for entering the labour force, to assist society by socializing children into specific social values and customs, and to develop the expertise required to live in a community such as reading and writing.