The role of politics in education cannot be over-emphasized because the two have to go hand in hand for the proper growth of society. Therefore, it is essential to discuss how the two are interwoven. As it is known, politics is concerned with local, state, regional, or national governance activities.
The Arms of the Government
There are three arms of government, which are the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary. The executive arm is more evident in governance than the other two because the operators at this level directly impact the citizens through the appointment of ministers or commissioners to supervise the ministries, which in turn execute various projects and formulate policies to be implemented.
While at the other hand, education which is the bedrock of all development, is one of the ministries under the executive arm of the government and always being headed by a minister of education who is usually a politician but educationally inclined and is saddled with seeing to the smooth running of the education field as a ministry but in an underground as the primary key to all development because every unity of governance is embedded in educating the society. This means that the role of politics in education is highly important.
Role of Politics in Education Essay
Having established that education serves as a unit under politics which is the governance of society, the following roles must be well considered;
- Selection of the right hand to man education unit: to every other unity of governance, there is a probability of appointing any professional to oversee it, but a right should always staff the unit of education as the bedrock of all, purposely driven and developmental driven person who sees beyond the present and aspires significantly into the future and the challenges adherent with the solution in view. Suppose the ruling political party needs help finding a befitting hand from the party.
In that case, there is nothing terrible in collecting from the opposition party if he can deliver or make a choice as a technocrat, all in the spirit of developing the nation rightly for posterity’s sake. - Formulation of effective policies on education: as the role of politics in education is beyond measurement, policy formulation is highly essential because it is what is taught and formulated that would be implemented.
This means that suitable and effective formulation of policies will go a long way to resolve any present problem or future problem. In the process of doing this rightly, any ineffective education system could be replaced with the better one that will produce results. - Appropriate finding of education: the role of politics in education cannot be jettisoned, as all other facets of society require development. It must be noted that education does not generate revenue but requires significant funds in terms of structure, personnel, research, instructional aids, etc., having g it in mind that the products that the students are to compete with other students around the world.
They will also be the leaders of the same nation in the coming time. This means that the funding of education should not be politicized but instead seen as the concern of all beyond fair and favor becu6yhe the way the bed is laid the way on lies on lt. Funding education should be the priority of all. - Projection and preparation for the number of graduates per year: it is highly saddening that a lot of nations, especially developing nations, cannot project the preparation of the number of graduates coming out of their schools every year. There needs to be adequate preparation to absorb them into their workforce. They are only graduating and adding up to the number of jobless only because the political leaders cannot prepare well for these potentials being produced yearly.
This is why fractional parts are likely to become a menace to society because ‘an idle mind is a devil’s workshop.’ There should be adequate preparation for the would-be graduates before they even graduate. This is possible through proper preparation and projection, as well as creating an enabling environment for development rather than wasting away these noble potentials with adequate preparation. Preparing for this means preparing for the future, and the future is now!!! - Education for living: also, the kind of education the government should provide should be a kind of education for living. This type fully prepares individuals for the right profession, those that are employable, self-reliant, and self-motivated, to become an employer of labor rather than dependents and youth without vision and hope. Many graduates today are in this category due to the kind of education they have been exposed to. They are only functional in white-collar jobs and cannot reason out of the box!!!
- Education for a global citizen: as part of the role of politics in education, a particular place’s politics may differ from that of another, but education does not change. It should always be known that the kind of education provided should be a type that prepares the individual to become a global citizen and not a local champion. With this, it means such a product can function at any level and position they find self, and this is going to be based on the background given to the individual educationally.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the role of politics in education cannot be overlooked because governance is all-embracing. Though education is embedded in politics, it is the key to proper development, and if it is missed, the whole system has missed it and education will not anymore function as a shape tool for the world.
