What is an Aim in education?One may ask this question. In most of my articles I wrote of education a lot. Now let me first review what is an 'aim'.
An aim can be a statement or expression of aspiration which provides the guide to the general climate and purpose of any explored experience. Aim is means by which you expresses you express that which you wish to achieve ,that's the end product or the results of our programmes. Aim provides us with justifications why society should support our cause with money,time or other ideas.
Therefore educational aims must show very clearly and demostratable payoffs(rewards) for individual ,family ,community ,society ,employer ,industry or the government.
Education aims are reflective in individual benefits ,such as professional success,personal gain ,job security ,prosperity or self advancement.In the community education must aim at community equality and in the society the sense of social responsibility ,socialisation to fit in the activities of the society and moral of good citizenship.
Education in the business sector (industry) aims individuals to prepare for employment through development of skills of literacy and enumarace.Educational aims are long term aspirations ,so they can only be achieved over a long period of time and some aims can be life long experience.
Educational objectives are derived from the aims and they are short term. So they can be achieved in a day or week ,for example lesson objectives should be achieved within 30 minutes or an hour. The objectives may be set for a topic or theme which can covered in series of lessons generally for a week,fortnight ,a month or a term.
While aims are general statements of intentions objectives are more specific on time,achieveable ,realistic expression of the same intentions.
According to Musgrove cited in Hoper (1971:18)says ,''Objectives state the ways in which knowledge ,cognitive ability skills ,interest values and attitudes of students should change.'' Objectives govern the nature and use of subject matter,content ,method/assessment and evaluation strategies to be used.
Objectives>>content>>methods/assessment>> evaluative comments.
Hence educational aims and objectives of the education system are deeply rooted in the history and cultural legacy of the society. The system aims for transformation or change from history to the contemporary and to the future by review and reconstruct the experiences ,adopt strategic ideologies ,sponsor technological advancement and invest in its future.
Education system raise to political consciousness from awareness compaigns by probing its members to question: 'who are we?,where do we come from?, What do we want to achieve?'
It also promote pride in its own culture and socio-cetricism to raise social and cultural awareness among its own members.
Education model behavioural attitudes to instil a sense of patriotism (love for one's country) and provide skills and knowledge or attitudes that contribute towards economic emancipation ,for example ,teaching and learning of social science ,pure science etc. The aim is to produce human manpower literate to serve in private and public sectors of the society. Education is the right tool which can eradicate ,gullibility,illiterate,ignorance,superstitions,racism,tribalism ,sexism,gender disparities etc.
However for the society to achieve aims and objectives of its own education system ,there is need of resources in the form of funds. Education is one of the most expensive thing for any government or society. Ignoring it or withdrew investment ,means the society is ignoring its future. Some challenges are attitudes problems,resistance to change(tissue rejection),lack of educational practitioners with experience to excute the new subject or ready to change with the time dynamics,
