THE WORLD
The Education Factory
Millions of students are churned out of our education
system every year, but are they being educated?
P
lato, the Greek philosopher process. This is mass education. process (we have curriculum),
in the 4th century B.C. We are the products; you are it; tight quality control (we have
wrote that education must I am it; ones that may have gone examinations now for six year
have a “telos”; an end in mind; an a little wrong, but near enough olds), different conveyor belts for
end that allows each individual what was intended. And just as slight variations (we have options
to “fl ourish” in his or her unique any mass produced good, we too for fourteen year olds and we
way. By fl ourish he meant to are made in a factory. A factory distinguish the better products
fi nd eudemon, that’s happiness where blank three year olds are from the rest) and the products
to you and I. Education for Plato supplied, and after a minimum must be pushed onto a customer
was about equipping each person of thirteen years on the conveyor (an employer) once quality
with the right knowledge and belt, they are either packaged control approve it as suitable.
skills so that they would have a in certifi cates called GCSE’s to It’s here that Plato’s issue with a
shot at fi nding happiness. What’s mark them as approved, or are telos comes into play. What is the
the telos of our education? Why “encouraged” to carry on down ‘point’ of our education factory?
are we studying, accumulating the conveyor belt to get a free Simple. It’s jobs. Let’s be honest
thousands of pounds worth of upgrade. Quite literally schooling about it. Most people spend the
debt, where will it take us, or is a factory – an enlightening, best part of a quarter century in
more importantly where do we totally necessary and a useful this factory because they believe
want to take our education? one, but nevertheless, it remains that it’ll lead them to a better job
a factory. or vocation. The government
We spend most of our early lives too wants this. It’s what mass
going through the education Mass produced goods are the education is. It’s a medium
system. Just think of all your output of all factories, the to supply industry, commerce,
friends, family and the like and schooling system is no different. the free market with educated
it’s probably true that they too had We are all mass produced, give material (labour) so as to drive
been preoccupied by education; and take small variations. Just as the economy even further. All
in fact chances are that they on any conveyor belt fl exibility products, including you and I,
too were imparted with a near is in short supply, and so any are going to be shipped off to a
identical education as to the one great variation in the production company or organisation, which
you’ve received. At least this is process is not a viable option. would use us for their own ends.
the case throughout primary and I also realised the schooling
secondary education. When we system had similar issues to that In return we would be paid, given
think of it like that it becomes of industry – there are suppliers a pension, praised and given the
rather daunting. Quite literally of raw material (in this case opportunity to progress within
tens of thousands of young people human beings), factory fl oor the hierarchy of the fi rm. The
are going through an identical workers (we have teachers), a telos, the end goal of our mass
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HPD Sept ‘09 - Feb ‘10
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