Schooling is an instrument in attainment of success ,ambition or dreams in life.
During the peak of socialistic states around 1950s until early 1990s there had a popular slogan for new approach to Educational development which was 'Education for production'.But do you know why they were calling for this Educational change?What was the rationale and benefit of this philosophy of Education with production?
Education with production was based on the thesis that knowledge comes from social practice.In other words ,knowledge is made up of our life's experiences which in turn are made up of our real-life activities .Our life's experiences make up what we claim to know,and what we know is what is ours.Socialists advocated that learners cannot gained meaningful and useful knowledge unless what they learned is related to their real-life activities.The human life involves on daily various practical works ,such as agriculture,gardening ,cookery ,craftwork etc.So these practical subjects can only be learned meaningfully if the children are involved in manual work.They strongly believed that Education with production requires the linking of mental learning with activities and practices.Then the other concepts children learn in academic subjects like mathematics and social sciences reflect social and material reality,which involved the learners with reality and activities to strengthening the learning process ,especially for the slow learners.
However , this concept of Education with production fails short and became extinct today,because they thought production only means doing something manually.Infact production is as broad term which comprise all Educational concepts for development.All subjects taught at school are for production be it agriculture ,social studies,music,art and crafts,languages ,mathematics ,home economics and the list is endless are there for production in the society where the children reside.
The reason was correct ,in the sense that the recently won struggles against imperialism involved the masses to be brushed out their colonial perspectives that regards them as workers of those who own the means of production ,hence the designed of this curriculum suits the masses to receive Education which should help them to create their own source of employment.
Education for work in schools makes the school a laboratory for the training in occupational skills. The involvement of pupils in productive work by teaching them skills is necessary to intiate development .It makes them responsible citizens,for instance,when children learned and developed skills in any subject .They are preparing themselves for self -employment .These children can later create employment not only for themselves but for others as well.By so doing they are developing communities and become masters of their own societies.
We believe that a good system of Education reduce unnecessary migration and look forward to develop one's locality.
Education should empower pupils to create conducive job markets,engaged in any meaningful employment when they complete schooling. This Education should make pupils see opportunities in every problems ,instead of migrating seeking employment.It will help children to become effective members of the community for their own benefit and that of their neighbours and of the whole society.
The schools can bring community in their backyards by design projects such as poutry ,growing crops,rabbitry at school inorder to educate children.Their produce can be sold on markets and buy equipments needed in schools such as furniture , stationery or building classrooms. Furthermore ,the produce can feed both children and their teachers.
A school can act as a demostration centre to introduce new crops ,improve existing crops yields or make changes in practices for different productions like conservation agriculture. And means of production in the community, a school like that become easily a community Education centre where the community members come and meet to look for new ideas , techniques and new skills in various productions found in life for development.
Education with production gives the curriculum a practical bias.This may make school a less boring place especially for all learners' of different needs in Educational areas of interests.What is important is that the skills given to pupils should not be looked down upon in the economy.
By introducing Education with work is attempting to make the schools help young children to identify and develop their talents as they exploring what is closely related to their every day life and work.This is the only type of Education that can facilitate the development in children to have positive attitudes towards developing their immediate environments,to be self reliance ,production and self -determination.In addition ,this type of Education helps to produce a work-oriented new world.
