Relevance of Freire’s theory of education in the 21st century Jamaican

Classroom.

Paulo Freire, a leader in literacy studies as well as a believer of progressive teaching, is

against the education system he classifies as the "banking concept of education". From the text,

"The Banking Concept of Education", Freire classifies the banking concept as, "an environment

where teachers are the narrators and the students are the recorders" (259). Freire has also

proposed a new solution in his text called the problem-posing education where the teacher and

student become one, "Each teaches the other and both have the chance to think critically as well

as give one's interpretation of the subject"(266). However, both systems are not perfect and

therefore both have some form of relevance to the classroom.

Three Relevance’s of Paulo’s theory of education in the 21st century Jamaican classroom are as

follows:

1. Assists in Curriculum Development:

Historically, The Jamaican education system has been teacher-centred, which invariably has

turned off many of our students. Paulo in his philosophy of education supports the idea that

education should be a collaborative process in which teachers and students work together and

think critically. His philosophy Interestingly, has been relevant in the recent creation and

implementation of a new National Standard Curriculum as his sentiments of a student

centered classroom was also shared by the Ministry of Education and the Government at

large. The curriculum was launched in the 2016/2017 academic year at the primary and

secondary level. This new curriculum replaced the Reform of Secondary Education (ROSE)

curriculum and is more student-centred with an emphasis on the use of information and
 communication technology (ICT). Some key tenets of this curriculum are to improve the

general academic performance, attitude and behaviour of students, which will redound to the

positive shaping of the national social and economic fabric, and more emphasis placed on

project-based and problem-solving learning, with Science, Technology, Engineering and

Mathematics/ Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEM/STEAM)

integrated at all levels. (Ministry of Education, Youth & Information [MOEYI].

2. It aims to Develop Educational Pedagogy:

An Educational pedagogy may be defined as the procedure in which knowledge is imparted from

teacher to student. Freire’s theory aims to combat the traditional way of teaching as the teacher

acts an educational tour guide rather than just as a knowledge giver. The traditional way of

teaching would normally involve the teacher just imparting knowledge as simple as that, and the

children would play no part in the process. Paulo’s theory would demand that children need to

have some say in the way which they are taught, therefore new pedagogies would have to be

developed to cater to the various learning styles which each child might possess and also special

needs. The differentiated classroom would also be implemented where necessary as the mantra

that every child can learn, every child must learn cannot be accomplished if all students are not

taken into consideration as every child can learn, but not in the same way nor the same time. The

way in which the teacher writes his or her lesson plan would also be affected as all of these

factors of the classroom would have to be taken into consideration when planning activities for a

lesson.

3. It Acts as a means of social change through Liberation Education:

Paulo Freire 1970 argued that educative processes are never neutral, but are rather instruments of

domination or liberation. Educative Processes are used to domesticate people where there exists
a level of ignorance and silence within a society. In this culture, people are taught to accept what

is handed down to them by those in power. On the other hand, education that liberates shatters

the silence and makes people become aware of their condition and their democratic rights to

participate in social change and transformation. This liberating Education promoted by Paulo,

has its relevance in the 21st century classroom as a means to bring out social change through

education. A prime example of his theory in play is the recent ban of sugar sweetened beverages.

The ban was implemented through a series of steps which involved getting schools to teach

students about the negative effects of these sweetened beverages on the body. The said beverages

were then removed from schools, by doing this the government and policy makers of this ban are

aiming to inform the population through the minds of the youth. They are aware that every child

belongs to a family and a community therefore the students after being taught are expected to

inform those within the home. Which will therefore lead to an acceptance of the ban by the wider

population than them being against the ban. Paulo Freire’s theory is very relevant to today’s

classroom and eventually the society.

References
Retrieved from https://www.iep.utm.edu/freire/

A Brief Biography of Paulo Freire. (2014, August 13). Retrieved from

https://ptoweb.org/aboutpto/a-brief-biography-of-paulo-freire/

Paulo Freire (1921–1997) - Conceptual Tools, Philosophy of Education, Criticism. Retrieved from

https://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1998/Freire-Paulo-1921-1997.html

Paulo Freire: Dialogue, praxis and education. (2013, April 04). Retrieved from

http://infed.org/mobi/paulo-freire-dialogue-praxis-and-education/