Fundamental Roles and Functions of Schools

The word school is derived from the Old English scol which means "place of instruction; from
the Latin schola which means "intermission of work, leisure for learning; learned conversation,
debate, lecture, meeting place for teachers and students, place of instruction; disciples of a
teacher, body of followers, sect," from the Greek shole "spare time, leisure, rest, ease; idleness;
that in which leisure is employed; learned discussion," also "a place for lectures, school." As
time goes by, these concepts have evolved and changed into an essential part of education which
the life of each individual and nation will build.

Today, a school is defined as an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and
learning environments for the teaching of students under the supervision of teachers. It has
become the most suitable and formal agency of education which is responsible for guiding the
society's transmission of knowledge, cultural norms, and values.

This chapter mainly deals with the basic roles and functions of schools to achieve an
understanding of the basic integrated nature of society and school.

Intended Learning Outcome (ILO)

Establish the roles and functions of school in supporting the development of education nationally
and locally.

ENGAGE

ROLES OF SCHOOL

A school is an institution created to enhance the processes of socialization and education. It

builds the personality of the student providing them an array of activities and experiences. It also
guides the students to develop their natural talents. Generally, the following are some of the
basic roles of schools:

Socialization

Socialization is the process of creating a social self, learning one's culture and learning the rules
and expectations of the culture. This is one of the most important roles of school. The school is
an artificial institution set up for the purpose of socialization and cultural transmission. The
school can be regarded as a formally constituted community as opposed to mutual communities,

In terms of socialization, a school is considered as the second important group next to the family.
Different approaches are done in the school, which may be considered as formal or informal.
Formal approach includes classroom teaching, prices, and more; while informal approach
includes peer group influences and the like
The school exposes students to social standards and values further than those existing in the
family and other individuals, other than teaching students how to write and spell, and to excel in
mathematics.

People build educational institutions like schools, which are made for students to achieve their
purposes. The society offers programs that would teach the individuals of values, social skills,
and its standards that would be beneficial and suitable in adulthood.

Through education, the child is able to develop reasoning in social relations, cultivates social
virtues and thus becomes socially efficient, as says, Dewey. When he speaks about social
efficiency, he refers to economic and cultural efficiency, and he calls it 'socialization of
individual. Thus, education, may be only part of the process of socialization, but it is a very
important part (Mondal, Puja).

Preservation and Promotion of Culture

For the school to uphold and develop valued principles or beliefs, practices, and even of morals
and ethics, it supports and protects them with the progression of time.

Khan Baba (2015), on the other hand, discussed the roles of schools as follows:

Transmission of Cultural Values

The school has the responsibility to teach the cultural beliefs, moral values, religion, and social
standards that its society promotes through education. People who belong in different societies
have the aspiration to spread and endorse its development and beliefs, which leads to the
transmission of culture.

Social Agreeableness

The society takes on the school to be responsible in getting the society and the school closer
through teaching of social values and ethical conducts. Thus, education progresses into
promoting teaching social sense to the students.

Civic Training

Emotions and attitudes of children are considered to be essential in terms of having a productive
social life and being trained socially. How they respond to the social environment shows the
development of their social understanding. Respect, love, justice, and mutual respect are some of
those emotions that must be reflected.

Promotion of Democratic Values

The school shall give chances for the children in schools to express themselves freely or be in a
democratic environment, allowing them to grow as individuals..
Development of Abilities

A school must be able to provide not only to nurture the students for cognitive development, but
also of their skills and their affective factors. Therefore, this means that there must be a balance
in the learning and the abilities of the students in a school. Moreover, co-curricular activities are
encouraged for the entire development of a student

Fulfillment of National Aims

The schools are for the children to acquire knowledge, skills, and values, so as to prepare them in
the fulfillment of the national aims and ideals of the nation. Therefore, students are trained to be
productive citizens to help in the growth and development of a nation.

Character Building

Natural freedom and the freedom of expression are both offered in a school, through different
academic and non-academic activities, which would be the approach on how the students would
be able to build their characters and personalities toward national ideology.

Propagation of Civilization and Culture

Persuading the children to adopt social, religious, moral, cultural, and ethical values of a society
is to uphold the culture and civilization. This is done by schools through teaching these values to
the children.

In an article written by Puja Mondal entitled, "Educational System: The Meaning Aspects and
Social Functions of Education," the author has identified the social roles of education, which are
described as follows:

• Development of Personality

The development of the personality and character of an individual is considered by Durkheim to

be the object of education, through the stimulation and progress in the different qualities that are
required of him or her by the society as a whole and by the environment for which he or she is
specially designed. This includes the development of the three domains of learning namely,
physical, mental, and emotional make-up of an individual.

Social Control

Molding the child's early socialization is considered by Bottomore to be one of the contributions
in the conventions of social conduct. It is part of the educational system to teach and promote
socialization to the children to prepare them with their roles in the society when they become
adults. In this manner, the preservation of cultural and social heritage of a nation are taken cared
of.

Social Integration
In a school, the incidental learning and socialization amongst the teachers, students, and others in
the institution is a natural way to impart values and other social skills that are crucial to the
society.

Determination of Status

The socio-economic status of an individual is a product of education. Since education is used to

improve the life of an individual for economic opportunity, people grow and develop according
to their association with other people, their educational background, and their function in the
society as well.

Provides Route for Social Mobility

The educational attainment of an individual makes it possible for a person to increase one's
qualification in terms of their social status and flexibility. It also helps the society with trainings
and other educational actions to increase or elevate the social and economic mobility of an
individual.

Social Development

The educational system has the most important role in the development of the society. Its role to
provide literacy programs for the enhancement and development of the knowledge, skills, and
values of an individual is the path towards the economic and social development of the people.
Education provides skilled individuals who are significant to the society through literacy
programs, which upturns the political realizations of people at the lowest point of the economy.