Learning Power Myth of Educational and Empowerment

Learning Power-Myth of Educational Empowerment

Education and empowerment

Education is important and essential for everyone be it formal, informal or even public education. It therefore means that everyone is entitled to education. Education is an entry point to many opportunities and it forms an integral part in the preparation for as well as the legitimization of forms of social life in particular. Education is not only purposed to "achievement" that is measured through standardized tests and assessments.

There are other important purposes of education one of them being empowerment. Empowerment is a process through which an individual's assumptions are challenged about how things can be done and are done. Empowerment challenges ones basic assumption on power, achievement, helping and succeeding in life. At the centre of the empowerment concept is the idea of power. For empowerment to take place there are two things to be considered; first requires that power can undergo change and if it cannot change then it means that empowerment is not possible neither is it conceivable in any way that is meaningful. Secondly the empowerment concept is dependent on the idea that power is expandable. Therefore through education one gets to be enlightened and can understand the concept of empowerment and they as well become empowered. Through formal education one gets the skills of reading and writing which enable one to create with as well as act on the world. Through assignments one learns to get evidence and come up with arguments. Through formal education there is the existence of powerful, emotional, quality-cognitive and existential all in one package. Through this one gets to know how to define themselves not just in the matters of education but also in ways which one can interact with others.

Education also enables one discover how they can move through civic and economic lives. One gets competence and confidence that enables them to independently seek out information that will enable them make decisions that enable one to advocate for what they believe in. Through education one attains the power to probe political issues, not to accept solutions that are not sensible to social problems that are in a mess.

Empowerment is a process that is multi-dimensional and social. It is multidimensional since it occurs in a sociological, economic, psychological dimension. Therefore through education one gets an insight on all these dimensions and hence they get empowered. Empowerment also occurs in various levels such as an individual, in a group or a community. When public education is done to a particular group of people they are empowered individually or in the entire group.

Empowerment is a social process as it occurs on one's relationship to others. As opposed to denying, weakening or distortion of the capabilities of a human being, educational practices contribute to the realization of various capabilities of a person. Through encouragement of development of capabilities and competencies it expands ones understanding. Therefore education is empowering processes that enables people who are marginalized in social, political, economic as well as cultural areas claim their actual statuses as fully participating members of their communities. Therefore there is no way that education stifle people's growth by squeezing them into prefabricated cultural molds.

Everyone therefore deserves the opportunity to be empowered and equipped in life through education. That explains why it is difficult for one to secure a place into a university in Iran. More than one million students try to pass examination for university while the capacity is two hundred in top majors. This means that in Iran people know the benefits that come with education and that is why they are all fighting for the limited spots in the university so that they can be more empowered. At the same time leaders in Iran are well aware that education is empowering hence they do not allow people to study in the field of humanities as they feel as if they will be empowered and want to overthrow them.

Goals of Public education in democracy

For a democratic society to have informed participation of each and every member, educational excellence for everyone through a collectively supported system of schools should be the main goal. This is crucial especially at a time where the poverty levels are on the rise as well as the gap between the educated and the uneducated is widening hope only lies on the improvement on the schools that are publicly supported. These institutions offer opportunities that are equitable for achievement.

Among the main goals of public education in democracy include preparation of people into becoming responsible citizens. People who go through public education are expected to act responsibly towards each other and the society in general. The other goal is the improvement of social conditions, public education aims to ensure that those who go through the systems end up being better people socially. Therefore public education aims to people who live in a society that is upright and contribute positively towards the society.

Promotion of cultural unity is another goal of education and that requires that those who go through the public education system show some unity especially in the aspects of culture. They are expected to be united and at the same time take part in activities that will foster unity when it comes to cultural practices. Public education aims to ensure that people become economically self sufficient. This means that those who are learned should be able to be economically empowered and sustain themselves. It aims to make sure that people are independent financially and they can survive on their own comfortably without the intervention of other parties. Enhancing individual happiness and enriching lives of individuals is another goal that ensures that the educated are happy and contented with their lives. This means that the individuals are enriched and they lack nothing at all. Democratic schooling therefore requires that there are thoughtful efforts of all stakeholders that include students, teachers, family and the entire community. For the survival of democratic ideas, public education should ensure that young people are brought together and explore the real meaning of a democratic life (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1996).