NAME : SULAIMON SUKURA ADEWUMI

MATRIC NUMBER: 198834

COURSE CODE: 401

LEVEL: 400L

COURSE TITLE: SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CONTEXT OF EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND

ASSIGNMENT

DEBATE THE IMPACT AND EFFECTIVENESS OF CULTURE IN THE PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION OF
EDUCATION IN YPUR COUNTRY

LECTURER IN CHARGE: DR E.J ISUKU

INTRODUCTION
 Cultural and education can not be divorced from each other. They are interdependent. The
cultural patterns of a society guide its educational patterns. As for example, if a society has a
spiritual pattern of culture, then its educational procedures will emphasize the achievement of
moral and eternal values of life.
On the other hand if the culture of a society is materialistic, then its educational pattern
will be shaped for the attainment of material values which promotes pleasures of senses and
material comforts. A society devoid of any culture will have no definite educational organization.
Hence, the culture of a country has a very powerful impact on its educational patterns. Education
as a part of culture has the twin functions of conservation and modification or renewal of culture.
It is the culture in which education germinates and flourishes and exerts a nourishing influence.
Human being receives from society the gifts of family life, community life,, vocation, legal
rights, safety and protection in the same way he/she inherits from the culture the gift of cultural
heritage. The present chapter discusses the relationship between culture and education. By giving
through the text you will be able to:
· Understand the relationship between culture and education.
· Clarify the concept and meaning of culture
· Explain the role of school in preserving and transmitting culture.
MEANING OF CULTURE :
In anthropological literature the term culture is used in many senses, but in general
writing it is used to indicate social charm and intellectual superiority. Culture is a collective term
for socially transmitted behaviour patterns. In ordinary language culture means good manners
and good taste.
Taylor defines culture as "that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art,
morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits, acquired by man as a member of
society.
" Ellwood says that "culture includes man’s entire material civilization, tools, weapons,
clothing, shelter, machines and even system of industry.”According to Brown, both material and
non-material are dependent upon each other. But culture cannot be defined. It is better to
describe it. The culture of a people is the way of life of that people, the things its people value,
the things they don't value, their habits of life, their work of art, what they do and what they like.
By material elements is meant the whole of man's material civilization, tools, weapons, clothing,
machines and industry. By non-material elements is meant language, art religion, morality, law
and government."
KIND OF CULTURE:
According to the subjects there are different kinds of culture:
- Individual culture
- Communal culture
- National culture
- World culture
 Each individual has some personal traits and qualities which guide the habits, thinking and
behaviour of the person. These personal likes, dislikes, interests, modes of thinking and patterns
of social behaviour constitute his personal culture. Similarly, different communities have their
different customs, traditions, beliefs and styles of living which is known as community culture.
Likewise each nation has some distinct patterns of ideals, values, modes of thoughts and
behaviour. Such national traits are known as national culture. Further with the rise in the means
of transport and communication the whole world has shrunk into a small unit. The whole world
are now supposed to be having common values of life such as cooperation, empathy, sympathy,
social services, social awakening and social sensitiveness which is termed as world culture.
According to contents there are two types of culture in every society:
TYPES OF CULTURE
1 . Material culture
2. Non material culture
1. MATERIAL CULTURE: It includes all those man made things and objects which human
society has created for its physical welfare. As for example clothes, utensils, TV, radio, various
machines Non material culture: It includes those ideals, attitudes and values which modify the
behaviour of an individual. Language, literature, art, music, religion, customs, traditions etc are
some of the example of non material culture.
CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE
1.Acquired traits : Culture is sum total of acquired traits. A new born baby acquires traits in the
process of growing up. As the baby grows older he/she acquires different ideals, attitudes and
values by imitation and social contacts. These experiences contribute to the formation of his
personal culture.
2.Distinct entity : Different societies of the world have different cultural patterns establishing the
different identities of different nations.
3.Transmission: Cultural traits and patterns are transmitted from generation to generation. Each
generation is free to modify the cultural heritage and transmit it to the next generation. Cultural
patterns are powerfully conditioned and influenced by the trends which appear from time to time
according to different circumstances and conditions. The transmission is a continuous process.
4.Utility : A culture is good if it has utility to the individual and to the society. If it does not fulfill
this purpose then it decays and dies out in the long run. Cultural fanaticism promotes conflicts
and chaos. Therefore, one should see and adopt cultural beauties and excellencies of all the
culture that exist in the world. It will promote the world culture on the one hand where as on the
other cultural integration will take place.
5.Dynamism : Culture is not static but is dynamic. It changes and grows with the change of time.
Due to rapid rise in transport and means of communication one culture adopts another culture
and become composite culture. One can notice that our culture has traveled a long way and
changed from its previous times in numerous ways. Our thinking patterns, values, beliefs,
behavior ideals etc all has changed. The different cultures of the world are interacting among
themselves and syntheses of culture are taking place.
6.Cultural Lag : We are concerned not only with the perpetuation of society but with its
improvement. The school is not an image of society where the virtues and vices of society are
reflected It should serve as a laboratory for testing the traditions, values, beliefs, and attitudes,
prevailing in a particular society and taking upon itself the task of making the society a better
one, It brings us to the problem of
· Removal of social lags and
· Planning of model society.
Cultural lag is defined as the degree to which certain aspects of culture lag behind the
changes in its other related aspects. In other words, the vast difference between the material and
non material culture is known as social or cultural lag. All the parts of our modern culture are not
changing at the same rate and since there is correlation or inter-dependence of parts, a rapid
change in one part requires re- adjustment through other changes in various correlated parts. A
culture lag occurs "when the different aspects of the society fail to adjust themselves to changes
effected in some of its parts." The changes in ideas, beliefs and value systems, for example, will
be slower than the changes in material conditions. In our society, the economic system is
changing fast, industrial economy is replacing the rural economy. A lot of work is being done by
machines or we can say that human labour is being replaced by machines. Butthe religious and
social structures are not keeping pace with the changes in the economic structure. Education is
the only means to bridge the cultural lag.
EDUCATION AND CULTURE
Education as a part of culture has the twin functions of conservation and modification or
renewal of the culture. Education is conceived as a systematic effort to maintain a culture. "In its
technical sense education is the process by which society, through schools, colleges, universities
and other institutions, deliberately transmit its cultural heritage, its accumulated knowledge,
values and skills from one generation to another." Education is an instrument of cultural change.
Education can impart knowledge, training and skills as well as inculcate new ideas and attitudes
among the young. It is culture in which education germinates and flowers. It is the culture also
upon which education exerts, in turn, a nourishing influence. The intimate relationship between
culture and education is evident from the fact the one of the major aim of education is to impart
to the child cultural heritage and social heritage. Every individual is born into a particular culture
which provides him with definite patterns of behaviour and values which guide his/her conduct
in different walks of life. Thus, culture plays an important role in the life of a person. To
understand the nature of its importance, it will be easy to understand how education of various
elements of culture can help a person. It can be seen in the following manner:
1.Adaptation to the natural environment: Everywhere man lives in a definite natural environment
to which they adapt themselves. Without adaptation he/she can not survive. All the inventions
and experiments that he/she make in the process of this adaptation form an important part of the
culture. Differences in the
natural environment of different communities pave the way for differences in their cultures. In all
the tribes of India, the members of the community behave in a particular way which is behaviour
which makes up culture.
2. Adaptation to the social environment: Culture includes customs, traditions, beliefs etc. All of
these help the individual to adapt to his social environment. It must be kept in mind that all these
elements undergo gradual changes as the social environment changes. Culture determines the
patterns of social control, through which the individual is subjected to remain attached to that
group. Hence, the advantage in communicating the culture of the group to the child through
education is that he/she is thereby acquainted with the traditions, customs, values and patterns of
conduct prevailing in his group. This knowledge enables him to adapt to social environment and
thus achieve his socialization.
3.Development of personality : The personality of the individual is manifested through his
pattern of behaviour. The behaviour is always influenced by the culture of his/her group. Culture
influences the physical, mental, moral, social, aesthetic and emotional aspects of individual.
Thus, the behaviour of the individual is greatly
influenced by the culture.
4.Socialization as a process of acculturation: Many cultural anthropologists regard socialization
as a process of acculturation or the culture of a group. In the words of Martin and Stendlar,
"Culture refers to the total way of life of a people that complex whole which includes
knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs and any other capabilities and habits, acquired by
man as a member of society." This means that for the adoption of a culture one must participate
in the activities of the society. One must mix up with others to learn the habits etc, of the society
to which he belongs. In other words to socialize oneself one must learn the culture of the society.
J.S. Brubacher has observed, "We cannot teach the coming generation to be good simply by
teaching them to be wise. They must have plenty of opportunity to habituate themselves to moral
ideals. Instead of learning lessons in school apart from life, school must incorporate into itself a
social context of shops, laboratories, and play grounds. Moral learning in school and college
must be continuous with moral training outside through field trips, community activities and the
like. If schools fulfil this larger function, we may be assured that anything learned in an
enterprise having an aid and in cooperation with others will be inescapable moral." Society and
Need for Schooling: Society is very keen that its young members should not lapse into barbarity
and ignorance. Whatever, it has attained in social, cultural, religious and other fields it feels its
bounden duty to transmit it to the next generation. As the society has become more complex and
knowledge is piling up it feels the need for formal education and thus society starts schools to
educate its members.
The purpose is two fold:
-To transmit cultural heritage.
-To improve the society.
5.Transmission of culture heritage: To perpetuate present progress we should transmit the
cultural heritage. Only physical reproduction is not sufficient; we should equip the new
generation with our attainments in all fields of life. Here we should exploit the innate tendencies,
needs and interests of the children for the purpose of education. Our education should also be in
consonance with the mental 'make-up' of the students.
6.Improvement of the Society : Without improvement the society will stagnate. Education is not
only to reflect the social conditions but also to improve them. With the advancement of science
and technology our ways of life are also undergoing tremendous change. If we would not cope
with the present advancement there would be 'cultural lag'. We must adjust ourselves with the
fast changing world. So education must adapt itself to the changing conditions. But as always
happens some new things are not very desirable. So we shall have to guard ourselves against the
tendency of the schools to import everything new in the society. If old and out- dated things are
to be discarded we shall have to be vigilant against blind and slavish imitation of the new
developments. It is through education that we can prepare students to evaluate the past and
understand the present and to be prepared for future. In short the students should be taught to get
inspiration from the inspiring past, to live in the dynamic present and to face the challenging
future. Education is obviously reflection of the social, cultural and political conditions prevailing
outside. It reflects the society but it has within it the seeds of dynamics of change and thus can
keep pace with the fast changing world. The schools thus are not blind followers of the dictates
of the society but when it degenerates they can improve it and enthuse it with new idea of
thought and new horizons of desirable ideals. Role of the School : The school has to give up its
ivory tower isolation. It must be closely linked with the society. "The starting point of
educational reform must be the relinking of the school to life and restoring the intimate
relationship between them which has broken down with the development of the formaltradition
of education," recommends the Secondary Education Commission.
Mr. Branford writes "The school should be an idealized epitome or model of the
world, not merely the world of ordinary affairs, but the whole of humanity, body and soul, past
present and future." T.M. Greene states, "The good school programme stems from community
needs as an integral part of the life of the people. It is made by, for, and of those it would serve."
In the words Kandel "The schools exist to accelerate the impact of the essential aspects of culture
which prevails in the society." Harold Rugg thinks of school as an "enterprise in living both
social and personal."
According to the Secondary Education Commission, "The Secondary School must make
itself responsible for equipping its students adequately with civic as well as vocational efficiency
and to lay their part worthily and competently in the improvement of national life. They should
no longer emerge as helpless, shiftless individuals who do not know what to do with
themselves."
According to J.S. Ross, 'Schools ought to stress the duties and responsibilities of
individual citizen, they ought to train their pupils in the spirit of cheerful, willing and effective
service—they will themselves be model communities." School as a Community in Miniature :
School is a social institution which has been established by the society for the purpose of
transmitting among its members, those ideas, beliefs, attitudes and dispositions that will make
them worthy members of the society. Schools are to be the reflection of the larger society outside
its will in which life can be learnt by living. The school is to be looked at not as a place where
traditional knowledge is inculcated as authoritative but as a place where experiments in life are
carried on and where other experiments in life be read about and told about because of their
results by which alone they are to be judged and not by their prestige. Impact of culture on
educational institutions: The aims and ideals of the educational institutions are influenced by the
values and patterns of the society.
- Curriculum: The curriculum is prepared according to the culture of society. The system of
education tries to realize the cultural needs of society through curriculum which conditions all
educational activities and programmes.
-Methods of teaching: Culture and methods of teaching are intimately connected. The changing
cultural patterns of a society exert its influence upon the methods of teaching. Previously
teaching was teacher centered where teacher used to give knowledge to the child. Now it has
become student centered. The teacher considers the needs, interests, aptitude, attitude,
inclinations, behaviour etc before teaching. In this way education is a method pf preparing child
for the future for effective living. In short we can say that cultural and social conditions generate
the methods and techniques of teaching in a powerful manner.
-Discipline : Cultural values influence the concept of discipline. The present cultural patterns of
thinking and living are directly linked to our concept of discipline where the democratic values
are accepted all over the world.
-Text Books : Curriculum is contained in the textbooks. Textbooks are written according to the
formulated or determined curriculum. Only those textbooks are welcomed which foster and
promote cultural values and ideals.
-Teacher: Each individual teacher is imbibed with the cultural values and ideals of the society of
which he/she happens to be an integral member. Only such teacher achieves his/her missions
successfully. They infuse higher ideals and moral values in children.
-School : A schools is a miniature of a society. The total activities and programmes of a school
are organized according to the cultural ideals and values of the society which establishes and
organize the school. Hence, school is the centre of promoting, moulding, reforming, and
developing the cultural pattern of the society.
- Impact of education on culture: Just as the culture influences education, in the same way
education also influences culture of a country. It can be seen in the following manner:
-Preservation of culture: Every country has a distinct culture of its own. Hence, it tries to
preserve its culture and its distinctiveness in its original form. Education is the only means
through which this task can be accomplished. Thus, education preserves the culture of a society.-
of culture: The process of preservation includes the process of transmission from one generation
to another. The famous sociologist Ottaway has rightly remarked ‘The function of education is to
transmit social values and ideals to the young and capable members of the society.’
-Development of culture: The function of education is to bring the needed and desirable change
in the cultural ideals and values for the progress and continued development of the society
without which social progress can not take place. Education accultures an individual modifies
cultural processes by research and deeper investigations into all areas of human requirements.
-Continuity of culture: Culture is a life breadth of a society. Without which a society is bound to
decay. Education upholds the continuity of culture through its diverse activities and programmes.
A society establishes schools to preserve and transmit its culture to the coming generations.
Children should be motivated to learn more and more from cultural interaction among various
cultures. Thus cultural integration and assimilation will enrich the composite culture of a society.
- Development of personality : Education aims at developing the personality of a child. It
employs diverse cultural patterns of thinking, behaviour and cultural values so that children are
physically, mentally, morally, socially and intellectually develop with the development of society
to the maximum extent.
- Removal of cultural lag: While material cultural develop at a faster speed due to scientific and
technological inventions non material culture consisting of ideas, values and norms lags behind
and create a gulf between the two. Education is the only means by which these gap can be
bridged. Thus, education and culture are interdependent and complementary to each other.
However the existing system of education in India has not evolved from its own culture. There is
a need that education should be related to our own culture. Education system not related to
Cultural Heritage. It has been rightly said. "The existing system of education is largely based on
the ideals of spreading western science and literature and way of life among a small minority of
the population and of training persons for services under the government. It is still academic and
book-centered and fails to promote social, cultural, economic or political development on proper
lines." A foreign system of education was introduced in India without taking into account the
cultural heritage of India.It is cut off from Indian cultural traditions and is alien to masses.
Reorganization of education hasremained a challenging task right from the beginning after
independence. K.G. Saiyidain an eminent educationist observed, "We are to-day at one of the
great cross roads of our history when the pattern both of our culture and our social order is being
refashioned. While it is true that education should always be essentially a forward-looking
activity, in normal times when changes take place rather slowly and decorously, its function is
mainly conservation— adjusting the child to relatively stable environment. But in periods of
crisis like the present, when the older
is dying out and the new one is not quite born, when the older forms of culture have lost their
grip on the loyalty, at least, of the young and the new "shape of things" is far from being
clear,education has a special difficult and critical role to play." Modernization of education and
cultural renaissance is needed to evolve education fro its.own culture. India is on the move again
with the promise of a new renaissance in the making. The most powerful tool in the process of
this renaissance and modernization is education based on moral and spiritual values on the one
and on the other on science and technology. In this context we cannot do better than to quote
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, "Can we combine theprogress of science and technology with the
progress of the mind and spirit also?" We cannot be untrue to science because that represents the
basic fact of life today. Still less can we be untrue to those essential principles for which India
has stood in the past throughout the ages. Let us then pursue our path to industrial progress with
all our strength and vigour and at
the same time, remember that material riches without toleration and compassion and wisdom
may well turn to dust and ashes. Education should transmit the culture to the new generation and
transform the outlook of
the young towards life in the light of the past; in the context of cross-cultural influences and in
the light of the future requirements of the individual and the society. Influence of Media and Art
forms on Child’s Education:
With the information explosion media has made tremendous impact on the mind of the pupil.
Today, social and technological changes are taking place with a rapid pace throughout the world.
Both qualitative and quantitative improvement of education is facilitated and accelerated with the
help of media. There is no denying the fact that modern education has changed the concept of
teaching from teachers’ centered to learners’ centered. Similarly, teacher centered lecture based
instruction is changing to students centered interactive learning. Teachers’, thus, has to perform
the role of facilitator for the active learning by the pupils. Learning happens and knowledge is
generated in an environment where interaction between teachers, students and the content takes
place in interactive ways. Knowledge is communicated to us through the communication. This
message is great importance for us because, when the information is communicated to us on a
printed page or over the telephone, by radio or television it appears different and has entirely a
different effect on us. There is a famous proverb that I hear...I forget; I see... I remember; I do... I
understand. This means that if a teacher teaches without the help of supportive aids there is much
possibility that students will forget the things being taught to them where as the active utilization
of more than one sense increases the possibility of understanding among the students and hence
empowering them. Researches around the world also suggests that we remember 20% what we
hear, 30% what we see, 50% what we see and hear and 90% what we see, hear and do. In the
classroom teaching-learning context media improves the teaching-learning processes. Its main
purpose is to benefit more students with fewer teachers or to obtain quality education. Children
are the conscious being. They do not learn only from the books rather from the whole
surroundings. Children today are more exposed to media both print and non-print. They learn
from media in more concrete way than only through verbal communication in the class. Media
and Art forms helps child in acquiring knowledge in different manners. Its role in education is
gaining importance every day due to the following reasons:
· Media provides information to the mass within less time.
· Children get motivated while exposed to media since their more than one senses work.
· It takes a wide coverage of information regarding what is happening in any corner of the
world.
· It brings the entire world to the individual or to the classroom.
· Media helps in concept formation in more concrete manner.
· Media provides the basis for developmental learning and makes learning more permanent.
· Children spends hours together sitting in front of the television and can visualize, hear and
acquire knowledge about the world.
· Thinking is a continuous process media helps child to maintain thinking process with
learning.
· Whatever is learnt through media and art form remain more permanent than verbal
communication in the class.
· It easily reaches groups, allows repeated use, gives more reality, influence attitudes, shows
cause and effect relationships and ultimately motivates the students towards learning.
· It sends information to remote places and.helps in distant learning.
· It helps in modification of attitudes, inculcation of desirable values and acquaintance of
cultural heritage.
· It acts as an agency of social change.
· It is useful for reinforcing group dynamics and interpersonal communication.
· It is a means of communication make ideas clear to the children and help them to acquire
knowledge.
· It helps in simplifying and in giving elaboration in explanations.
· It helps in making and formation of right usages of things in the mind of the child. So, it
helps in comprehension and learning.
· It makes the instruction concrete.
· It provides direct experience to thelearner.
· It stimulates interests and enhances curiosity.
· It helps in child’s attentiveness
The role of various agencies of education such as home, society, community etc. has
increased. Therefore, the role of media and art form like television, radio, cinema, newspaper has
also increased. Press, radio, television etc are some of the media in education. They directly or
indirectly influence the attitude and behaviour of the children. They cover entertainment,
information propaganda, historical records, education and improvement of moral judgement and
moral tone of the children. Following are the role of some of the media.
Radio : It is used mainly to broadcast events to far and wide places of the world. It acts as the
medium of mass communication. It is also an important source of entertainment. Students listen
various talks, discussions, and debates from radio which are extremely important and useful for
them. Many programmes are broadcasted over radio for the purpose of teaching. Thus radio act
as a great recreational and educational force. It helps in the following manner:
· It enhances listening participation in different disciplines and current events.
· It is an effective means of presenting music, drama, current events, discussions and talks
etc.
· It provides opportunity for students’ participation in different programmes suchas quiz
competition, travel talks, plays, stories, development of lessons, projects work in the form of
team teaching.
· Well planned radio broadcasts are presented to engage the active participation of the local
teachers and pupils.
· Educational radio can offer corrective programmes for self learning by the individual.
· Special events and occurrence can be brought immediately to the students.
· Different items of the school subjects can be presented in the form of dramatization,
dialogue, musical features and so on.
· Through broadcasts suggestions the students may be encouraged to carry follow up
discussions or creative activities.
· Breaking all the boundaries it can reach the students while at work, in the playground, at
the drawing room, at therecreational centers etc.
Television: It is an extremely popular source of entertainment among youngsters
today. The whole personality of the child gets involved while they watch television. Therefore
television is the most powerful means of communication. It stimulates more than one sense and
hence the learning becomes more permanent. Following are the advantages of educational
television:
· It has the potential to make available many inaccessible learning experiences.
· It brings about continuing cooperative planning by teachers, supervisors, learning material
exports and skillful production team.
· Effective educational television broadcasts help in the growth of curriculum planning.
· A variety of audio visual aids such as film strips, slides, recordings, drawings, maps and
other projected items can be demonstrated through television.
· It brings us a new kind of vision.
· It acquaints the children with literature,
history and social life etc.
· It motivates the children as well as.teachers as it has both the qualities of education as well
as entertainment.
· National problems can be discussed on the television.
Motion pictures : It exercises a great influence on human mind. Many areas can be wisely
dealt
with the help of films. It has the following
ADVANTAGES
· They make concepts more clear.
· They arouse interests among the pupil and satisfy their emotions.
· They present abstract problems of life and nature in concrete reality, illuminate the hidden
meanings of events and mysteries of nature.
· They bring the past, the distant to the classroom.
· It can be great for teaching the backward children as they act on their imagination.
· It helps students to give meaning to their imagination.