Schools’ Roles in Social Change and Development

School is as important as any other social institutions. Schools are organized and systematic institutions for learning and other academic purposes. Aside from that, schools also cater research, extension, learning materials production, and other linkages. Being avenues of the educative process, schools possess important roles in the society.

Education is affected by several factors. These factors include learners, the learning contents, teaching materials, teachers, school administrators, teaching methodologies and facilities. The most important of these factors is the learners being the center of the educative process. Learners have a mint of learning potentials that have to be developed and strengthened by the school. For that reason, schools carry the responsibility of meeting the learning demands of its students in order to become functional citizens in the future. The aforementioned factors greatly affect in the development of the students’ abilities that may become assets in the community someday. With this, schools are regarded as contributory in the socio-developmental process.

Being a social institution, schools are also pervasive with social interaction. Social characteristics of the people are then transmitted through education. Schools serve as vital institutions in the diffusion of the cultural heritage. Cultural transmission through education happens either in formal education where there is a structured type of instruction or in non-formal education having an unstructured type of instruction. However, this does not confine to the idea that cultural transmission could only happen through education. Other social institutions such as the church, business sector and the government could also become avenues of cultural transmissions. Having this kind of a strong influence to the society, schools can also carry out social changes. Embodied on its mission to assist social reform or development, schools can bring out lasting changes within the confines of the society. This is often why many sociologists regard schools as powerful agents of social change.

Having a democratic kind of a society, the educational system in the country is patterned to mold the young people under democratic philosophies and ideals. With the intrusion of the democratic principles in education, students are easily directed on many considerations such as the emphases of social equity and individual democracy.

Further, schools also contribute in the formation of basic moral principles that have to be inculcated in the younger generation. This is the reason why ethical standards of the people, society and government are highlighted in the educational curricula. The inclusion of values education and public and personal morality are integrated in teaching. This attempt is for the awareness of the students’ moral responsibilities with regards to codes of conduct of human relations, occupational behavior and citizenship which are significant aspects in the later life.

Schools have to be properly coordinated and linked with the communities where they belong. The community has to take part in realizing some endeavors of the school for the benefit of the students. This so-called link has to have a strong rudiment in order for each function to be clearly delineated. Parents are regarded as the first teachers in the home. Basic use of language, problem-solving, decision-making, etc. are developed at home with the guidance of the parents. When children are admitted in schools, the school teachers intervene to continue the enrichment of the children’s experiences at home. Consequently, valuable personal traits and characteristics that have been initially developed at home are being strengthened in schools. The growth and development of a person is not only attributed as responsibilities of the parents and teachers. In fact, the community members are encouraged to participate in the parent-teacher activities and projects that will also bring about to the enrichment of the morality and quality of life in their own community.

When there is a strong link between the school and the community, certain issues and concerns experienced by the learner are being met. These issues are often difficulties in the part of the learner. These may include inability to accomplish home works and assignments, irregular attendance, negative attitudes, poor study habits, and disciplinary problems. When these issues are properly addressed with the apt guidance of the parents and teachers, learners get to be redirected and taught with important life values that have lasting effects on the person.

By: Jed Paolo A. Cairo

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