CHAPTER 2 Fundamental Roles and Functions of Schools The word school is derived from the Old English scol which means “place of instruction;” from the Latin schola which means “intermission of work, leisure for Jearning; learned conversation, debate; lecture; meeting place for teachers and students, place of instruction; disciples of a teacher, body of followers, sect;” from the Greek skhole “spare time, leisure, rest, ease; idleness; that in which leisure is employed; learned discussion,” also “a place for lectures, school.” As time goes by, these concepts have evolved and changed into an essential part of education which the life of each individual and nation will build. Today, a school is defined as an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the supervision of teachers. It has become the most suitable and formal agency of education which is responsible for guiding the society's transmission of knowledge, cultural norms, and values. This chapter mainly deals with the basic roles and functions of schools to achieve an understanding of the basic integrated nature of society and school. Intended Learning Outcome (ILO) Establish the roles and functions of school in supporting the development of education nationally ‘and locally. ROLES OF SCHOOL A school is an institution created to enhance the processes of socialization and education. It builds the personality of the student providing them an array of activities and experiences. It also guides the students to develop their natural talents. Generally, the following are some of the basic roles of schools: * Socialization Socialization is the process of creating a social self, learning one’s culture and learning the rules and expectations of the culture. This is one of the most important roles of school. The school is an artificial institution set up for the purpose of Socialization and cultural transmission. The school can be regarded as a formally constituted community as opposed to mutual communities.“4 a school is considered as the second important grey, tt approaches are done in the school, which may ,, Formal approach includes classroom teaching In terms of socialization, next to the family. Different considered as formal or informal. prices, and more; while informal approach includes peer group influences and the jy, The school exposes students to social standards and values further than thor existing in the family and other individuals, other than teaching students how j, write and spell, and to excel in mathematics. People build educational institutions like schools, which are made for students , achieve their purposes. The society offers programs that would teach the individu), of values, social skills, and its standards that would be beneficial and suitable jn adulthood. Through education, the child is able to develop reasoning in social relations, cultivates social virtues and thus becomes socially efficient, as says, Dewey. When he speaks about social efficiency, he refers to economic and cultural efficiency, and he calls it ‘socialization of individual’. Thus, education, may be only part of the process of socialization, but it is a very important part (Mondal, Puja). Preservation and Promotion of Culture For the school to uphold and develop valued principles or beliefs, practices, and even of morals and ethics, it supports and protects them with the progression of time Khan Baba (2015), on the other hand, discussed the roles of schools as follows: + Transmission of Cultural Values The school has the responsibility to teach the cultural beliefs, moral values, religion, and social standards that its society promotes through education. People who belong in different societies have the aspiration to spread and endorse its development and beliefs, which leads to the transmission of culture. * Social Agreeableness The society takes on the school to be responsible in getting the society and the school closer through teaching of social values and ethical conducts. Thus: education progresses into promoting teaching social sense to the students. + Civic Training Emotions and attitudes of children are considered to be essential in terms of having a productive social life and being trained socially. How they respond ' the social environment shows the development of their social understanding Respect, love, justice, and mutual respect are some of those emotions that must be reflected. Chapter2;. Fundamental Roles and Functions of $2+ Promotion of Democratic Values ‘The school shall give chances for the children in schools to express themselves freely or be in a democratic environment, allowing them to grow as individuals. + Development of Abilities Aschool must be able to provide not only to nurture the students for cognitive development, but also of their skills and their affective factors. Therefore, this means that there must be a balance in the learning and the abilities of the students in a school. Moreover, co-curricular activities are encouraged for the entire development of a student, + Fulfillment of National Aims The schools are for the children to acquire knowledge, skills, and values, so as to prepare them in the fulfillment of the national aims and ideals of the nation. ‘Therefore, students are trained to be productive citizens to help in the growth and development of a nation. + Character Building Natural freedom and the freedom of expression are both offered in a school, through different academic and non-academic activities, which would be the approach on how the students would be able to build their characters and personalities toward national ideology. + Propagation of Civilization and Culture Persuading the children to adopt social, religious, moral, cultural, and ethical values of a society is to uphold the culture and civilization. This is done by schools through teaching these values to the children. In an article written by Puja Mondal entitled, “Educational System: The Meaning, Aspects and Social Functions of Education,” the author has identified the social roles of education, which are described as follows: * Development of Personality ‘The development of the personality and character of an individual is considered by Durkheim to be the object of education, through the stimulation and progress in the different qualities that are required of him or her by the society as a whole and by the environment for which he or she is specially designed. This includes the development of the three domains of learning namely, physical, mental, and emotional make-up of an individual. lopter 2; Fundamental Roles and Functions of School16 Social Control Molding the child’s early socialization is considered by Bottomore to cone of the contributions in the conventions of social conduct. It is part of th educational system to teach and promote socialization to the children to Prepary them with their roles in the society when they become adults. In this manner, th. preservation of cultural and social heritage of a nation are taken cared of. Social Integration In a school, the incidental learning and socialization amongst the teachers students, and others in the institution is a natural way to impart values and othe, social skills that are crucial to the society. Determination of Status The socio-economic status of an individual is a product of education. Since education is used to improve the life of an individual for economic opportunity people grow and develop according to their association with other people, their educational background, and their function in the society as well. Provides Route for Social Mobility The educational attainment of an individual makes it possible for a person to increase one’s qualification in terms of their social status and flexibility. It also helps the society with trainings and other educational actions to increase or elevate the social and economic mobility of an individual. Social Development The educational system has the most important role in the development of the society. Its role to provide literacy programs for the enhancement and development of the knowledge, skills, and values of an individual is the path towards the economic and social development of the people. Education provides skilled individuals who are significant to the society through literacy programs, which upturns the political realizations of people at the lowest point of the economy. f Chapter 2: Fundamental Roles and Functions of scoMULTIPLE SCHOOL FUNCTIONS hols are expected to have multifunctions which include technical, economic, human, social, political, cultural, and international levels. This is provided in the detailed inalysis of multiplicity of school functions by Cheng (1996) as presented below: Technical/ Economic Functions refer to the contribution of schools to the technical and economic developments and needs of the individual, the institution, the local community, the society, and the international community schools can help students to acquire knowledge and skills necessary to survive and compete in a modern society or a competitive economy, and provide staff job training and opportunity schools are service organizations providing quality service; also they serve as a life place or work place of society for clients, employers and all those concerned CesT rary schools serve the economic or instrumental needs of the local community, supply quality labor forces to the economic system, modify or shape economic behaviors of students (future customers and citizens) and contribute to the development| and stability of the manpower structure of the economy Cue school education supplies the high quality forces necessary in international competitions, economic cooperation, earth protection, and technology and information exchange Human / Social Functions refer to the Contribution of Schools to human. | developments. | and social | felationships at different levels Of the society schools help students to develop themselves psychologically, socially, and physically, and help them develop their potential as fully as possible school is a social entity or social system composed of different human relationships. The quality of social climate and relationships in it often determines the schools serve the social needs or functions of the local community, support social integration of multiple and diverse constituencies of society, schools are expected to play an important role in preparing students for international harmony, social cooperation, global human relationship, and elimination c ‘ple: 2: Fundamental Roles and Functions of School 17Cre amitesenss Tei Community/ PY TaN quality of work | facilitate social | of national, life and learning | mobility within regional, Facial, life for teachers | the existing and gender and students class structure, | biases at the reinforce social | international equality for all} level such that people of both the local different community ang backgrounds, the internation select and community can allocate benefit in the competent long run people to appropriate roles and positions, and contribute to social change and development in the long run Political schools help schools act as schools play an | growing Functions students to a place for important role | awareness of develop positive | systematically to serve the international | refer to the civic attitudes socializing political needs dependence contribution of | and skills to students into a | of the local reinforces the | schools to the | exercise the set of political | community, need for the political rights and norms, values | legitimize the contribution of | developments at | responsibilities | and beliefs, or existing school education different levels | of citizenship —_| for critically government, to international of society discussing and | maintain the understanding, reflecting on the | stability of global common existing political | political structure,| interest, events promote international awareness and | coalitions, pe2*) movement of movements democracy, and | against war, a%4) elimination of planned political | conflicts developments | between region and changes and nations 18 Chapter 2; Fundamental Roles and Functions of Se"refer to the contribution of schools to the cultural transmission and development at different levels of society ECU eT] schools help students develop their creativity, aesthetic awareness and to be socialized with the successful norms, values, and beliefs of society Leary schools act as a place for systematic cultural transmission, reproduction of the next generation, cultural integration among the multiple and diverse constituencies, and cultural revitalization from the outdated poor traditions eT ULNA BT ay schools often serve as a cultural unit carrying the explicit norms and expectations of the local community, transmit all the important values and artifacts of the society to students, integrate the diverse sub-cultures from different background, and revitalize the strengths of the existing culture such that the society or the nation can reduce internal conflicts and wastage thus build up a unifying force for national benefits TSC schools can encourage appreciation of cultural diversity and acceptance of different norms, traditions, values, and beliefs in different countries and regions, then finally contribute to the development of global culture through integration of different cultures hepter 2: Fundamental Roles and Functions of School 19Education Functions refer to the contribution of schools to the development and maintenance “of education at the different levels of society ale schools help students learn how to learn and help teachers learn how to teach, facilitating teachers’ professional development is ‘one of the key education functions at this level es uo schools serve as a place for systematic learning, teaching, disseminating knowledge, and serves as a center for systematically experimenting and implementing educational changes and developments eT rainy schools provide service for different educational needs of the local community, facilitate developments of education professions, education structures, disseminate knowledge and information to the next generation, and contribute to the formation of a learning society ur) schools can make an important contribution to education for the whole worlg David Goslin (1965) of the American Institute of Research made a comprehensive discussion and identified major functions of school in the modern society. The Transmission of Culture is one of the primary functions of school. Man's capacity to leam to organize learning in symbolic forms, to communicate this learning as knowledge '® other members of the species, and to act on the basis of learning or knowledge is the source of all cultural phenomena. Maintenance of culture must be considered. He also emphasized that education transmits a common cultural fund to the nest generation and in the process helps to bring hordes of young barbarians to adult wa/$ that are continuous with the past. Socialization involves much more than the learnit'é of skills and the work. Perhaps the most important part of the socialization proc involves the unconscious assimilation and internalization of beliefs, values, and patter of behavior of significant others with whom the individual comes in contact Chapter2: Fundamental Roles and Functions ofS"Supporting the discovery of new knowledge as the next important function, educational institutions have paradoxically also been expected to play an important role in the encouragement and implementation of change. The university, being a place of the search for new knowledge, and a great part of the flood of new ideas and innovations that have produced such rapid change in our society puts the emphasis on research as a major function that has become of even greater significance. Allocating individuals to positions in society is also a primary function of school. Every society must make some provision for deciding which of its members shall occupy the various positions in the society and perform the roles necessary for its continuation and development. The performance of the child in school serves therefore as one of the most important early measures of his or her abilities and energy. With the rise of education, the school functions as an integral part of the process of status allocation in four ways: (1) by providing a context in which the individual can demonstrate his or her abilities, (2) by channeling individuals into paths that lead in the direction of different occupations or classes of occupations, (3) by providing the particular skills needed to fulfill the requirements of various positions, and finally (4) by transferring to the individual the prestige of the school itself. The skills and knowledge the individual acquires during the course of his or her education are, of course, important factors in the process of job allocation. Because some schools are better than others, the reputation and prestige of the school is likely to become a factor in subsequent evaluations of the individual, regardless of his or her actual training or capabilities. Moreover, some of the secondary functions of school include, (1) the role of the school in providing mothers or fathers with relief from the task of taking care of their children during a significant part of the day, (2) the part played by school in the courtship process and its consequent influence on mate selection, (3) the use of the school to maintain the cultural identity and therefore the stability of subgroups within the society, and (4) the use of educational institutions to effect social reform. Chapter 2: Fundamental Roles and Functions of School aPeg ereone _— Activity 1: Poster Making As group activity, make a poster on the roles and functions of school. Tell something about the poster and share it with your classmates. Activity 2: Think, Pair and Share As an education student, think of some of the challenges that may hinder the realization of the functions and roles of school. Share these challenges to the person sitting next to you. Share these challenges identified during think, pair and share activity with the whole class. Chapter 2: Fundamental Roles and Functions of SchoolName: Date: Completing Matrix Identify at least five roles and functions of school based from the discussion you have and complete the matrix below. Roles of School Eee Functions of School a jcererz! Fundamental Roles and Functions of School 2Bal SESS _ Name: Date: Reflection Paper Based from your observations, understanding and learning of how schools operate, write a reflection paper in recognizing the roles and functions of schools in supporting the development of education nationally and locally. ci Chapter 2; Fundamental Roles and Functions of Sch”