Importance of schools

 

 Introduction

            Education is viewed as very important in the society among other social institutions by functionalists. They claim that education has two essential functions: primary or manifest and secondary or latent functions. This paper is going to discuss the different ways in which the existence of schools is important basing the two functions. Therefore, according to this theory of functionalist, schools play an important role in the society.

Manifest Functions

            The manifest functions are the visible and intended educational roles. There are usually various functions of schools existence. The first function is socialization. At the beginning of learning; that is in the kindergarten and preschool, learners are taught on how to practice several rules of the society This gives the schools the title of being socialization agencies whereby the learners are able to acquire knowledge on how to relate with others and are also prepared on the ways to tackle the adulthood economic roles. The learners are also in the position to learn the norms and rules of the society (Van & Besthorn, 2017). Previously, the learners had been learning the only about the culture. In the present days, the learners have been in the position to learn about a large number of norms in the society. The school has been able to educate the learners concerning the respect laws and authority. The respect plays an important role in enabling the learners to understand the environment of the school. It also enables the students to prepare themselves on how to mingle with the world after school life. In order to accomplish this function, the classroom activities with the instructors and teachers is usually very crucial. Education is also very important as it plays a major role in social replacement. This method has been in use by people the social mobility which is usually upward. The graduate and college schools have been compared to vehicles which drive the learners towards the careers that would offer the freedom in terms of finance and security in the future. This has been therefore motivating the college learners to study in the important areas that they to be most important and of benefit in their social life.

Latent Functions  

            Education also plays an important role in accomplishing the latent functions. The latent are the unintended or hidden ones. The learners have been able to get equal learning opportunities (Diana, 2015). In the past, there had been the tendency of females being denied education. Through latent functions, changes have been achieved whereby the girls are able to acquire education as equal as the boy child. Through these changes, the girls have been able to graduate in higher education levels than even the boys. The student is exposed to social networks. These might go for many years and could be in the position of seeking jobs after the learners are through with their school life. The use of social media is usually easier to maintain.        

            The functionalists also give recognition to other forms in which the learners benefit from schools. To begin with, there is individualism whereby an individual is more valued than the society or groups. There is the feeling that the reward goes to the student who has done the best in athletics or academics. Through this, learners are prepared to face the competition and the loyalty of the learners towards the teams also brings the sense of belongingness and doing away with social differences (Ferrante-Wallace, 2008). This usually happens through the activities that usually take place during learning like competition in athletics or academics. Another role of schools is teaching the learners about patriotism. This is usually seen where the students recite the national pledge and also during the lessons where they engage in historical subjects whereby they are taught concerning the past of their nation and its heroes. The functionalist theory also brings about another role of schools as that of classifying or sorting the learners according to their academic potentials. It is usually possible to determine the most capable learners while still schooling. This is usually achieved through evaluating the learners. The last but not the least important aspect as to why schools do exist is that they are expected to teach the learners concerning the some traditional functions like human sexuality which was being done at the family level. The schools are also expected to teach the learners concerning important skills like job application and budgeting.

Conclusion

            The function social plays very important roles in explaining the importance of schools existence. As seen in the discussion above, the functionalists divide the educational roles into latent and manifest functions. The latent functions involve the unintended and the hidden roles while the manifest explains the visible and intended roles. Learners are able to about norms and rules in the society. There is also the ability to do away with the gender issues in academics and creating connections with the social networks. This theory of functionalist therefore has been able to explain that schools play important roles in the society.    

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

Diana kendall, (2015); Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials. Cengage Learning

Ferrante-Wallace, J. (2008). Sociology: A global perspective. Belmont, CA: Thomson      Wadsworth.

Van, W. K. S., & Besthorn, F. H. (2017). Human behavior and the social environment, macro      level:             Groups, communities, and organizations.