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Education as a Discipline

education as a discipline is an organised body of knowledge, multi- patrious in nature which deals with issues )f what, why, how, who and even when in the educational process. The questions often asked here are:
  • Why do we educate? 
  • How do we educate? 
  • Who do we educate? 
  • What do we educate with? 
  • When do we educate? 
In other words, education as a discipline deals with such pathogenic questions of context, reasons, meth- )ds, and timing in the process of education, as well as the background of the individual to be educated.

These questions are usually treated under different specialisations within the broader field of education. For example, the questions of who and when do we educate take us to the field of educational psychology, that of why :0 educational philosophy, that of who to educational methodology, while the issue of what comes under the focus of educational curriculum.

In summary we can illustrate the triunity of education diagrammatically as follows:

What do you consider as the best definition of education?

"Education goes beyond literacy alone." Discus$ the above statement in relation to the definition of the concept of education.
The nature of education can also be viewed from the dimension of formal, informal and non-formal education. From the definition of education given earlier in this unit, it is clear that complete education cannot be acquired from outside the classroom only. A large part of education can be acquired from outside the class- room. Such sources include the home, peer groups, and other non-classroom situations. Formal education means any form of teaching-learning process which has a generally accepted and regular set of rules, organisation and pattern. It may generally be referred to as schooling. The following characteristics make formal education unique.
  1.  It is strictly controlled. 
  2.  It is curriculum-oriented. 
  3.  It is evaluation and or examination oriented. 
  4.  It requires regular financing. 
  5.  It involves professionally qualified staff. 
Simply put, formal education is a consciously planned form of education. In modern times, formal education is exemplified by the training presently given in our schools and colleges.

Information education is an aspect of socialisation. This is the process of fitting individuals into an organised way of life and an established tradition of a society. This form of education is the process of acquiring knowledge about the world around us through living with others. It takes place everywhere, at home, in playgrounds, among peer groups, between club members, college cliques and workshop gangs, in the market places and business circles etc.

As we interact with members of the community, we incidentally acquire experiences which we put into use in our lives. Much learning occurs without the deliberate intention on the part of the learner or the teacher. The nature of education has been the subject of considerable amount of analysis by philosophers of education. It is regarded as the greatest asset a society can boast of and a great legacy that parents can leave for their children. All this is for the fact that education is the most powerful instrument of social change, economic, political and cultural development and scientific and technological development.

Education also serves the functions of developing social, psychological, mental, emotional and intellectual development of an individual.

Furthermore, education can be formal, non-formal and informal each with its unique characteristics that differentiate it from another. For instance, while the formal education is systematic and at the same time costly, non-formal education is flexible in its curriculum and is generally cost-effective while informal education on the other hand is acquired either through interaction in the society or through distinct personal experience.

Yet others may see education as the quality of being able to read, write, perform skills and become morally acceptable to one's society. It is important to note that education serves both the needs of the individual and the needs of the society.

F or the individual, education means the provision of opportunity for him to realise his potential goals and abilities in life. The realisation of such abilities and goals will in turn make the individual a useful and happy citizen in the society. The above explanation shows that education goes beyond literacy alone. It also includes the acquisition of functional skills, moral identity, ambition to succeed in life and to improve the society. At the national level., education can be defined as a tool for
building a united, independent and wealthy egalitarian society which is capable of maintaining its traditions and values.


"Education goes beyond literacy alone." Discuss the above statement in relation to the definition of the concept of education.
  1. Give the meaning of readiness. 
  2. Mention the three components of readiness.