When I started writing my e-book Invisible Limitations, I didn’t know where it would lead me. I had no certain conclusion in mind, only ideas I wanted to structure and write down.
While writing the second chapter, I discovered a common thread running through the story. The educational system turned out to play a central role within the Invisible Limitations.
In this blog I’d like to tell you how the educational system is so tightly connected to the formal laws, informal laws and the economy and why it became such an important topic on my blog.
The dual function of education
The educational system serves multiple purposes. On the one hand, education has an educational function, and on the other hand it determines the career possibilities of the individual.
Through the educational function, the educational system is the actual implementation of formal laws and informal laws. Besides that, grades and knowledge are responsible for the career possibilities of the individual. Because of this, the educational system finds itself in a central position between the Invisible Limitations, and is of vast influence on our personal freedom.
Informal laws
School may be considered the greatest social surroundings of society in which numerous informal laws are in force. Just think of the informal laws among students, between teachers and students, staff, parents and staff, schools and businesses, schools and politics, etcetera.
Unwritten rules are of enormous influence on our personal freedom, and decide whether or not we are part of a group. Acting according to these unwritten rules is important in school to live in harmony with fellow students, teachers and other school staff.
Formal laws
In many countries, kids are obliged to go to school. Compulsory education is a result of formal laws where a student can not decide for him-/herself whether he/she would like to go to school or not.
Besides the obligation to go to school, the school curriculum is often dictated by the government as well. Students have a limited saying in their personal curriculum and are obliged to follow subjects the government finds important.
Another example of formal laws in the educational system, can be found in specific rules at school. Every school has individual rules that students need to follow. If they fail to do so, punishment will follow.
All formal laws of the educational system, complement the general formal laws within society. School can therefore be seen as a ‘micro-society’ with additional formal- and informal laws which occupy a dominant position within the Invisible Limitations.
The Economy
The educational system may come with a lot of rules but at the same time it lays the foundation for the economic success of the individual. In fact, much and useful knowledge and the development of important skills are worth money.
By gaining more and more knowledge, an individual can specialize and distance him- or herself from competition. The more knowledge they have of a certain subject, the less competition they will encounter from others with an equal kind of knowledge. Scarcity is worth money, which results in an increased chance on economical success.
The importance of a good educational system
Because of the great impact of education and its central role within the Invisible Limitations, the implementation of the educational system is of essential importance.
It is the reason the educational system became the main topic of my blog and what triggered me to think about efficient new educational systems.
What ideas do you have about the educational system? Please let me know in a comment below.