COMPILED BY Mr Muchenje @ I.C.

T ACADEMY (2020) +263 785 094 369 call/text/WhatsApp

ADVANCED LEVEL SOCIOLOGY

EDUCATION
INTRODUCTION
 Education takes place within the society and that makes it a social thing.
 The main idea is that society cannot survive without some degree of homogeneity among its
members, the process of education is important in the sense that it perpetuates and reinforces this
homogeneity by fixing the child from the beginning.
 The term homogeneity refers to the quality of being similar.
 This means society requires people living within it to be similar to some extent, that situation for
similarity is created by education.
 The quality of being similar is important, however to some extent without diversity there would be
no cooperation amongst members of the society, education ensures a level of diversity by being
diverse itself.
 Education is an important institution in society this is because the internalisation of norms and values
as well as discipline represents the child’s initiation into society.
 In this context, education appears to be almost the same as socialisation.
 It is important to take note; the two concepts may sound the same but they are different. Socialisation
focuses on teaching individuals the culture of a society while education is a much broader concept
which covers culture, knowledge and skills.
 The way of life or the culture of a society Is learned, it is not biologically inherited. This means that
when a human infant is born he/she is a tabula rasa i.e. a blank slate- the infant is able to absorb
experience that is learn from the people around him/her.
 This means the infant has the ability to develop a wide range of beliefs about the world around him
or her. The infant is also able to develop skills that can be used to manipulate the world around him
as well as values that can determine how he should manipulate the world.
 All of these elements are learnt and taught.

P a g e 1 | 10

iTalist
 COMPILED BY Mr Muchenje @ I.C.T ACADEMY (2020) +263 785 094 369 call/text/WhatsApp

 The infant basically depends on others from birth this is because the infant is unable to develop a
personality without some kind of intentional or accidental help from the adults around him/her.
 This help is provided through the process of education.
 Basically this helps to emphasise the significance of education in the society.
DEFINING EDUCATION
 In its broadest sense education can be understood as one aspect of socialisation.
 As a process, education involves the acquisition of knowledge and the learning of skills.
 At the same time education also helps to shape the beliefs and moral values of an individual.
 Taking all of these elements into consideration, education can be defined as the process by which
individuals acquire knowledge and skills demanded of them by the group or society to which they
belong so that they become functional members.
 Education refers to all that goes on in society that involves teaching and learning whether intended or
unintended to make the child a functional member of the society.
FORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATION
 In small scale non-literate societies for example hunting and gathering societies, it was difficult to
distinguish between education and other aspects of life.
 This was mainly because young people learnt their lessons by joining the social group, i.e. by taking
part in the activities of the group.
 Knowledge and skills were learnt informally by simply following the example set by the adults
within the society.
 Without a doubt, adults definitely instructed the younger generation but this was done as part of their
daily routine for example boys going out hunting with their fathers and girls being taught how to
cook by their mothers.
 In more complex societies however, special education facilities have been developed for example
schools, these schools came with the development of the specialised role of the teacher- this
ultimately led to the rise of formal education.
 It is important to note that education is not restricted to the basic academic concepts that are taught in
the classroom only, societies also educate their children outside of the school system.
 This is why we say education is an aspect of socialisation.
 The two types of learning that exist are called formal and informal education.
FORMAL EDUCATION
 Describes the learning of academic concepts and facts through a formal curriculum.
 Before industrialisation there was a situation whereby formal education was mainly a luxury only
enjoyed by the rich or the upper classes.
 This was mainly because they were the ones who could afford/access school materials and they also
had the leisure time to dedicate to the process of learning.
 Poor people had no access to education.
 However, the industrial revolution brought with it some changes which made education accessible to
the general population. The education system in Zimbabwe is a product of this progression.

P a g e 2 | 10

iTalist
 COMPILED BY Mr Muchenje @ I.C.T ACADEMY (2020) +263 785 094 369 call/text/WhatsApp

 Today education is seen as a right for all citizens.

 The system focuses on formal education and it has a curriculum which is designed to teach children
facts and concepts that are considered by the society as basic knowledge.
INFORMAL EDUCATION
 Describes learning about cultural values, norms and expected behaviours by taking part in societal
activities.
 This type of learning takes place both through the formal education system and outside the formal
education system for example at home within the family.
 This means that some norms and values that are taught at home are reinforced and taught again at
school.
 The earliest learning experience generally happens via the parents, relatives and other people within
the community.
 Informal education teaches individuals how to dress, how to behave at different occasions, as well as
how to perform regular life routines such as cooking, bathing etc.
FUNCTIONS OF EDUCATION
MANIFEST FUNCTIONS
 These are the basic and obvious observable functions of education.
1. Inculcation of the norms and standards of the society- norms and standards of the society are
taught via a method of frequent repetition this is known as inculcation.
2. Maintenance of social solidarity by developing in children a sense of belonging to the society as
well as a commitment to the societies way of life(culture).
3. Transmission of knowledge including the heritage.
4. Development of new knowledge.
5. Provides literacy and numeracy skills as well as specialised training for jobs which lead to social
contribution.
6. Helps to transmit culture from one generation to another.
7. Education is an agent of upward social mobility.
8. It is also an agent of socio-cultural change and reform.
LATENT FUNCTIONS
 These are the implied functions of education.
1. Educational facilities provide a babysitting service which separates parents and children for
regular periods of time during the day and the year.
2. It provides children with a chance to meet a wider and more diverse circle of friend than the ones
they would have met if they had stayed at home.
3. It is a marriage market- individuals marry amongst their peers.
4. It is a means of reducing the supply of labour
 Education is an influential agent of socialisation because it teaches basic norms and values of a
society as well as behaviour that are acceptable within the society.

P a g e 3 | 10

iTalist
 COMPILED BY Mr Muchenje @ I.C.T ACADEMY (2020) +263 785 094 369 call/text/WhatsApp

 The education system basically reflects the general patterns of the society-this means that the school
curriculum is set in such a way that it meets the needs and aspirations of the society.
PERSPECTIVES ON EDUCATION (THEORIES)
FUNCTIONALISM
 Generally, functionalism focuses on the positive contributions of education to the society and its
maintenance.
 Two main questions can be applied:
1. What are the main functions of education to the society as a whole?
2. What are the functional relationships between education and other social institution?
Education and social solidarity
 The main function of education is the transmission of norms and values and this creates homogeneity
in a society.
 Homogeneity in turn creates or leads to a group that is united sharing the same norms ad values- this
Is known as social solidarity.
 Social solidarity creates commitment to the group way of life within individuals- the individual
views the society as being more important.
 All of this is facilitated by education.
Education and social rules
 According to Durkheim, individuals within a society must learn to cooperate with those who are not
their kin or their friends, the school provides a context for these skills to be learned.
 This means that the school can be seen as a smaller version of society, within the school the child
must interact with other members of the society in terms of a fixed set of rules.
 Durkheim believed that school rules should be enforced strictly, the punishment for breaking school
rules should reflect the seriousness of the damage done to the social group.
 It should be clear to the offender why he/she is being punished, in this way individuals learn to
understand that it was wrong to go against the interests of the society as a whole.
 This means individuals learn to exercise discipline not just because they want to avoid punishment
but because they understand that misbehaviour damages the whole society.
 It is through respecting school rules that the individual learns to respect rules in general developing a
habit of self-control.
Education and the division of labour
 Education teaches individuals specific skills that are necessary for future occupations or jobs, this
function is of particular importance in the industrialised society.
 In pre-industrialised societies occupational skills were passed on from parents to children without the
need for formal education, however in industrial societies social solidarity is mainly based on the
interdependence of specialised skills for example in order to make a specialised product like a car the
process requires the combined effort of several specialists.

P a g e 4 | 10

iTalist
 COMPILED BY Mr Muchenje @ I.C.T ACADEMY (2020) +263 785 094 369 call/text/WhatsApp

 The school provides the general values that are necessary for social survival and homogeneity. At the
same time the school also provides different specific skills which provide the necessary diversity
which is needed for interdependence and cooperation.
Education and value consensus
 Schools basically socialise individuals into the basic values of the society.
 The idea is that value consensus is an essential element for societies to operate effectively, schools
instil the same values in all individuals for example schools in America instil two major values:
1. The value of achievement
2. The value of equality of opportunity
 Students are encouraged to strive for high levels of achievement academically, those who succeed
are rewarded. By placing students in the same class situation the value of equality of opportunity is
fostered.
 In short schools and education promote the idea of value consensus.
Education and role allocation
 Davis and Moore see education as a means of allocating roles in the society.
 The education system basically sorts people according to their abilities i.e. the most talented get
higher qualifications which lead to important jobs which provide higher rewards.
 Basically this will lead to inequalities within the society but this is natural and to some extent even
desirable especially in capitalist societies.
CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE
 Functionalism is different from the conflict perspective. When it comes to education, functionalism
focuses on the positive contributions of education to the society as a whole.
 In contrast, the conflict perspective is based on the view that there is a conflict of interest within the
groups that exist in society, the powerful gain at the expense of the weak or less powerful.
 From a conflict perspective, education mainly serves the interests of the powerful, it maintains their
power, justifies their privilege and legitimises their wealth.
The hidden curriculum
 Education provides the capitalists with a work force which has the personality and attitudes that are
most useful to them.
 The idea is simple enough, if capitalism is to succeed it requires a docile, obedient, hardworking and
highly motivated work force which is too divided to challenge the authority of the management.
 The education system helps to develop such a workforce through the hidden curriculum, this means
that it is not the content of lessons and examinations that matter rather he form that teaching and
learning takes.
 The hidden curriculum is made up of those things that students learn through the experience of going
to school.
 The hidden curriculum can shape the future workforce in a number of ways:

P a g e 5 | 10

iTalist
 COMPILED BY Mr Muchenje @ I.C.T ACADEMY (2020) +263 785 094 369 call/text/WhatsApp

1. It helps to produce a subservient workforce which is uncritical and docile in nature, this type of
workforce can be easily manipulated by the employers.
2. The hidden curriculum encourages acceptance of the established hierarchy- schools operate on a
hierarchical principle of authority, this means that teachers give orders and students simply obey.
At the same time students have little or no control over the subjects they do. This prepares them
for relationships in the workplace where workers have to respect the authority of their superiors
if they are to keep their jobs.
3. At school students learn to be motivated by external rewards, this is the same as a workforce in a
capitalist society, it is also motivated by external rewards. Learning is based on the jug and mug
principle i.e. the teachers have knowledge (jug) which they pour into the empty mugs (students).
This explains why most students do not actually enjoy schooling, instead they are encouraged to
take satisfaction from the external reward of a qualification at the end of their studies. The
creation of a workforce motivated by external rewards is essential in a capitalist society this is
because capitalist work is unsatisfying, for the workers to do their job they need to be motivated
by external factors.
4. Another important aspect of the hidden curriculum is the fragmentation of school subjects-
within a school students move from history to maths and so on, this aspect of education is in line
with the fragmentation of the work force. Most jobs in factories and offices have been broken
down into specific tasks which are carried out by separate individuals, in this way workers are
denied full knowledge of the production process meaning they cannot set up in competition
against their employers.
How does capitalism benefit from the education system?
 The formal parts of the curriculum mainly correspond with the needs of the capitalist employers
especially when it comes to the allocation of subjects.
 The education system provides the capitalist employers with a surplus of skilled labour this
maintains high rates of unemployment so that workers of all levels have to compete with each other
for jobs.
 When workers compete with each other for jobs the price of labour falls because there is a high
supply of labour, this means employers can now pay low wages because they can just threaten
dismissal and replacement by the reserve army of skilled workers.
 Education legitimises inequality by making society appear fair and just.
Analyse the impacts of social class on education
 Marxism is a conflict view that argues that society is based on class divisions and exploitation.
Within a capitalist society there are two main classes i.e. the capitalists (the ruling class) and the
working class (proletariat).
 The capitalists own the means of production i.e. land, factories etc. these capitalists make their profit
by exploiting the labour of the working class.
 Social institutions like education tend to reproduce class inequalities by persuading exploited
workers to accept that inequality is justified and acceptable.
 This means that one of the main functions of education is to basically reproduce these class
inequalities.
P a g e 6 | 10

iTalist
 COMPILED BY Mr Muchenje @ I.C.T ACADEMY (2020) +263 785 094 369 call/text/WhatsApp

 Considering that we live within societies that are characterised by classes it has been suggested that
class stratification is directly linked to educational achievement and attainment.
 The idea is that certain groups always reach higher levels of educational attainment than others in
terms of qualifications. Differences can be noted between classes i.e. rich/poor, gender i.e.
male/female as well as different ethnic groupings.
 It has been suggested by a number of theorists that the higher the social class, the higher the levels of
educational achievement are likely to be.
 Children from a higher social class are more likely to go to school at an early age and this can
actually ensure they develop an intelligent mind earlier than children from a lower social background
who go to school at a later stage because they lack funding.
 Children from a higher social background are more likely to stay in school and also afford university,
this means they have a higher chance of acquiring a higher qualification.
 This shows that the socio-economic background of a family can definitely affect the educational
achievements of the children.
 Children from a lower socio-economic background are likely to encounter the following
problems/challenges:
1. Problem of accessing good educational facilities.
2. They may lack motivation and encouragement from the people around them.
3. Dropping out of school because they lack resources.
4. Parents may have a negative attitude towards school preferring the child work and earn money
instead.
5. Parents may not be able to cope with school expenses.
 Children from a higher socio-economic background have a better chance when it comes to education
because of the following advantages:
1. Parents give their child an early start by enrolling them into pre-school, this gives them an
advantage over other children who do not have an early start. Preschool helps children to learn
skills like how to hold a pen, painting, writing etc.
2. Because of their financial position the parents can buy school materials for their children for
example textbooks and computers and even data bundles.
3. Children from a higher social background are more likely to be motivated and encouraged at
home.
 Children from a higher social background are more likely to have concerned parents who motivate
them when it comes to educational processes.
 Parents ensure that children arrive at school on time, meaning they are never late for lessons.
 After school hours, parents check their children’s books and help them with their homework.
 Parents praise the hard work of their children, in some cases hard work actually merits a reward.
 The parents can afford to pay for extra lessons for their children.
 Children from a higher social background are more likely to attend prestigious schools because their
parents have the resources to pay for quality private education. These prestigious schools are usually
associated with good teaching staff, adequate teaching and learning facilities, good teaching and
learning environment as well as high educational performance.
 All of these advantages create a situation whereby children from a high socio-economic background
perform better at school. However, this is not always the case, children from a lower socio-economic
P a g e 7 | 10

iTalist
 COMPILED BY Mr Muchenje @ I.C.T ACADEMY (2020) +263 785 094 369 call/text/WhatsApp

background can actually perform better than those from a higher social background because of the
following:
1. Children from a higher socio-economic status may misuse the opportunity they have been given
i.e. they take it for granted.
2. Children from a lower class are more likely to be committed and dedicated, meaning they have a
better chance of performing well.
3. Their commitment stems from the act that they have seen the poor conditions of their parents and
wish to change them- education is an agent of upward social mobility it can change a person’s
future economic status and this pushes poor children to work harder than their rich counterparts.
THE EFFECTS OF STRATIFICATION ON EDUCATION
 It is clear to a large extent that stratification results in the reproduction of class differences/division
when it comes to educational life chances.
 It cannot be denied that parental support of education is crucial for children’s success in education
same as the provision of other enriching processes like home tuition, learning the school language at
home, home libraries etc.
 These elements are in turn affected by the social class of the individual ultimately creating a situation
whereby people from different classes achieve different levels of education.
 Children within the high socio-economic bracket learn English in the home before going to school,
they have access to good quality school facilities and teachers.
 These and other factors help these children to gain a quality education, this means there is a
difference in terms of quality between the education received by rich and poor children.
 Without a doubt education is definitely an agent of social mobility, this means that a person who has
attained higher levels of education has a better chance of obtaining good high paying job which in
turn determines that individuals’ social status.
 Children from a higher socio economic background receive quality education and they have a better
chance of going to university- this means that the differential access to quality education tends to
widen the gap between socio-economic classes.
THE URBAN/RURAL IMBALANCE IN EDUCATION
 People that are living within urban areas have access to quality education facilities and other
resources such as libraries, computers, internet among other things.
 However, this is not so in rural areas and this creates an imbalance between rural education and
urban education.
 Those in the rural areas have no option but to send their children to the available schools that are
there in the village.
 This means that to some extent people in the rural areas are continuously deprived of quality
education generation after generation.
GENDER AND EDUCATION
 Traditionally Africans contend that it is not worth it to educate the girl child considering that she will
get married when she comes of age, that is why they believe it is more important to educate the boy
child.
P a g e 8 | 10

iTalist
 COMPILED BY Mr Muchenje @ I.C.T ACADEMY (2020) +263 785 094 369 call/text/WhatsApp

 Based on this outdated contention, the education of women in Zimbabwe has always been a concern,
something to advocate for.
 Girls in the middle and upper classes are privileged in this regard because they are given an
opportunity to go to school, however in some cases girls from the lower class are denied access to
education, particularly those in the rural areas where tradition and culture still reign supreme.
 A number of explanations have been put forward to explain the gender differences in education.
 For example, one explanation suggests that boys and girls have different innate ability-this
explanation has been disputed however because it has been noted that girls actually perform better
than boys showing that they are more intelligent to some extent.
 Early socialisation processes also contribute to the situation- boys are taught to be more active while
girls are taught to be more docile, this can actually affect or influence performance in class with boys
having a much higher chance of performing better than girls.
 Another element which limits female performance in class is rooted in the priorities of the women
themselves- according to Sharpe (1970) girls’ priorities were unlikely to encourage them to achieve
higher levels of education for example they have priorities like getting married and having children,
leaving very little time for education.
Factors leading to the improvement of female performance in education
 The impact of feminism has led to a situation whereby girls’ expectations are raised when it comes to
education and careers. Women are no longer subscribing to the traditional view that they are only
meant to be wives and mothers only, in short they now want more.
 Changes in the family structure have also contributed to an improved level of performance for
women, for example the high rates of divorce lead to more single parent families- this means that
more women now need to obtain high paying occupations and this motivates women to achieve
higher educational qualifications.
 There are some gender sensitive changes within the workplace, more positions are open to women
and more women are actually attaining higher offices, this has provided an incentive for women to
take education seriously.
 Equal opportunity policies have been introduced in schools and the country- this means that girls and
boys are given equal opportunities to access education.
 Girls now have positive role models within the school, the number of female teachers has increased
as well as the number of female head teachers, basically this motivates young women to try and
reach greater heights in education.
How does education shape gender identities?
 There is verbal abuse within the school, students call each other names when one behaves in a certain
way, the use of negative labels such as “tomboy” creates a situation whereby pupils control each
other’s sexual identities.
 The uniforms that are worn at school basically distinguish between boys and girls, this helps to
cement gender identity within individuals as they grow.
 To some extent some subjects are regarded as feminine for example fashion and fabrics as well as
food and nutrition while subjects like woodwork and metal work are seen as being more masculine in
nature.
P a g e 9 | 10

iTalist
 COMPILED BY Mr Muchenje @ I.C.T ACADEMY (2020) +263 785 094 369 call/text/WhatsApp

TYPICAL QUESTIONS
The education sector provides a platform for both formal and curriculum, which goes a long way in
socialising learners and intergrating them into the wider society.
a) Define the hidden curriculum [3]
b) Describe any two features of the hidden curriculum [4]
c) Distinguish between formal and the hidden curriculum [8]
d) To what extent does the hidden curriculum reflect the values of the society? [10]
Education is a right which everyone is entitled to. The school promotes social solidarity and reduces social
problems like teenage pregnancies.
a) What is meant by the term education? [3]
b) Describe two ways in which education promotes social solidarity? [4]
c) Analyse four measures taken by schools to reduce teenage pregnancies? [8]
d) Assess the effect of labelling on educational attainment. [10]
Essay questions
1. In modern industrial societies material circumstances remain the most important influence on
educational success or failure. Evaluate this claim.
2. Examine the view that education serves the interest of one social group.
3. Education perpetuates social inequality. Discuss.
4. Discuss the functionalist view of education.
5. Discuss challenges affecting effective social service delivery in Zimbabwe basing on education and
health.
6. Assess the view that educational achievement is dependent on the labelling of students by teachers.
7. Gender is the main factor that affects education. Discuss.

P a g e 10 | 10

iTalist