Education and the Economy, Essay Example

Education is a vital component of technological and economic growth and development. As such it is held in high regard by government. In a bid to understand education, there have been three major sociological theories that have been devised (the functionalist perspective, the symbolic interaction and the conflict theory). Even though all these theories do provide important insight into the education system, I believe that one is both relevant and accurate with regards to the modern day education system, the conflict theory.

The conflict theory looks at society as a system of social structures. This theory looks at the sub-systems within the larger system as parts of the society that have been perpetuated and constructed so as to benefit the few that wield power and wealth (Browne, 2011, p. 27). This theory states that existence of public schools is founded on the basis of perpetuating and reinforcing social inequalities that come from the existing racial, ethnic, class and gender differences. The modern day education system is meant to push individuals within the lower class into submission and obedience while maintaining the status quo.

The extent and scope of the realization of an individual’s education is almost always pegged to the social class from which they hail (Tischler, 2011, p. 52). This can be seen in the manner in which individuals from the higher classes are accorded better opportunities, irrespective of their level of education, level of intellect or level of desire to learn. It is evident that students attending Ivy League schools come from wealthy backgrounds.

This very foundation of the availability of better opportunities to individuals and students of a much higher class creates a stratification of the society on all fronts and sectors. This is because the level of education is also used as a segregation tool. Higher levels of education can only be realized if and only if one has the financial power to pay for the education.

In conclusion, the gap between the rich and poor can be partially attributed to the modern day education system. The conflict theory clearly brings out how the education system and other social structures perpetuate and uphold the status quo.

References

Browne, K. (2011). An Introduction to Sociology. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Tischler, H. L. (2011). Introduction to Sociology. Australia: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.