Education has always ranked high on the Zambian development agenda since independence in

1964. Every decade has seen major education policy pronouncements aimed at improving access
to quality education for all which were all consolidated through the development of the National
Education Policy, Educating our Future, in 1996 and the enactment of the Education Act of
2011. During the National Implementation Framework III from 2011 to 2015, government
invested significant efforts in infrastructure development involving new constructions and
upgrading of existing infrastructure. So then education is a social function thus it serves the
society, which maintains it and it should be realized that education for an independent sovereign
state is almost different from a dominated nation.

Thus this piece of academic writing is aimed at giving a critical appraisal of liberalism as a
philosophy of education in Zambia, based on the notion that the current education policy in
Zambia premised on the principle of liberalism.

In doing so the work begin by defining key terms such as education, policy, education policy,
liberalism and philosophy, it will then go on to discuss the concept liberalism and the current
education policy in Zambia, before giving an appraisal of liberalism as a philosophy of education
and drawing a logical conclusion.

Policy is a plan, program and project, usually public policy is commonly embodied in
constitutions, legislative acts and judicial decisions. And an education Policy refers to the
collection of laws and rules that govern the operations of the education systems.

Education is the wealth of knowledge acquired by an individual after particular subject

matters or experiencing life lessons that provide an understanding of something .
Education requires instruction of composed literature .The most common forms of
education result from years of schooling that incorporates studies of variety of subjects.
Education can also be defined has the process of receiving and giving out knowledge (Merriam
and Brockett, 1997).

Philosophy is a field of inquiry that attempts to help individuals evaluate, in a satisfying &
meaningful manner, their relationships to the universe.  it is also the study or fundamental
nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic

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discipline. Not only is philosophy a comprehensive system of ideas about human nature
and the nature of reality we live in but it is also a guide for living (Hempel, 1958).

Liberalism as a philosophy or movement has as its aim the development of individual freedom.
Because the concepts of liberty or freedom change in different historical periods the specific
programs of liberalism also change. The final aim of liberalism, however, remains fixed, as does
its characteristic belief not only in essential human goodness but also in human rationality.
Liberalism assumes that people, having a rational intellect, have the ability to recognize
problems and solve them and thus can achieve systematic improvement in the human condition.
Often opposed to liberalism is the doctrine of conservatism, in politics, the desire to maintain, or
conserve, the existing order. Conservatives value the wisdom of the past and are generally
opposed to widespread reform. Modern political conservatism emerged in the 19th cent. Which,
simply stated, supports the maintenance of the status quo. Liberalism, which seeks what it
considers to be improvement or progress, necessarily desires to change the existing order (Fong,
2004).

Thus when education is said to be liberal or liberalism as a philosophy of education, Liberal

education is an approach to learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with
complexity, diversity, and change. It provides students with broad knowledge of the wider world
such as science, culture, and society, as well as in-depth study in a specific area of interest. A
liberal education helps students develop a sense of social responsibility as well as strong and
transferable intellectual and practical skills such as communication, analytical and problem-
solving skills, and a demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-world settings
(Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2009).

The current education policy guiding the education in Zambia today is called Education Our
Future. This National Policy document on education was passed on in May 1996. Now since
Zambia is a liberal democratic society. It is the values of liberal democracy that must guide the
formulation of educational policies and their implementation. The core values of rational and
moral autonomy, equality, fairness and liberty underpin the concept of a liberal democracy. In
this system, the people are expected to participate fully and rationally in the affairs of their
country. A basic principle is that their consent is the only legitimate justification for their being
governed. In a liberal society, therefore, the state is obliged to protect and promote fundamental

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human and civil rights, to propound educational policies and aims which focus on nurturing the
holistic development of individuals, and to promote the social and economic welfare of society
through the provision and renewal of the skills, knowledge and competencies necessary for the
development of society and the economy. Thus the government in ensuring that the education
policy document is formulated took a liberal stance and principles of liberalism towards its
formulation as eluded above (Educating our Future, 1996).

One appraisal of liberalism as a philosophy of education is that a liberal education produces

persons who are open-minded and free from provincialism, dogma, preconception, and ideology;
conscious of their opinions and judgments; reflective of their actions; and aware of their place in
the social and natural worlds. Beyond that liberally educated people are skeptical of their own
traditions; they are trained to think for themselves rather than conform to higher authorities
(Nussbaum, 2009).

Further, the approach of liberalism as a philosophy of education also cultivates active

citizenship" through off-campus community service, internships, research, and study abroad.
Some liberalist see this movement towards "civic engagement" as more pedagogically powerful
than traditional classroom teaching, but opponents argue that the education occurring within an
academic institution must be purely intellectual and scholarly (Freeland, 2009).

Van Doren (1943: 43), a liberal education combines an education in the classics, English
literature, the humanities, and moral virtues, thus Unlike a professional and vocational education
that prepares students for their careers, a liberal education prepares students to utilize their
leisure time. Such an education helps the individual navigate internal and external conflicts in
life. For example, a liberal education aims to help students be self-conscious and aware of their
actions and motivations. Individuals also become more considerate for other beliefs and cultures.
According to James Engel, the author of The Value of a Liberal Arts Education, "A liberal
education provides the framework for an educated and thoughtful citizen.

Thus in conclusion, a liberal education today usually includes a general education curriculum
that provides broad learning in multiple disciplines and ways of knowing, along with more in-
depth study in a major.

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 REFERENCES
Freeland, R.M. (2009). Liberal Education and Effective Practice: The Necessary Revolution in
Undergraduate Education. New York: Association of American Colleges and Universities

Fong, B (2004). Looking Forward: Liberal Education in the 21st Century.

Nussbaum, M.C. (2009). Education for Profit, Education for Freedom: Liberal Education. New
York: Association of American Colleges and Universities.

Merriam, S.B and Brockett, R.G. (1997). The profession and practice of Adult Education.
Jossey-bass

Shoenberg, R. (2009). How Not to Defend Liberal Arts Colleges: Liberal Education. New York:
Association of American Colleges and Universities.

Van D. M (1943). Liberal Education. New York: Henry Holt and Company

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