Marxist perspective on education

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Using information from the item and elsewhere assess the Marxist view on the role of education. Item A reflects the Marxist perspective which is critical on the educational system, arguing that it is unfair, and serves to drive people into accepting their “roles” in an unequal society. Meritocracy was first identified by Michael Young in his book “Rise of the Meritocracy”. Meritocracy is a system of a government where responsibilities are given based on demonstrated talent and ability (merit), rather than by wealth, family connections, class privilege, friends, seniority, popularity (as in democracy), social position and political power. In a meritocracy, society rewards those who demonstrated their talent and competence, which they have shown through past actions or competition. A Marxist sociologist Althusser argues that “Teachers are in effect agents of capitalism who through their classroom work reproduce the exploitative relations of capitalism. They produce pupil ‘types’ who will in effect receive more or less education and enter the working economy at different point. “Curriculum compromises the range of subjects taught at school”. When we think about curriculum we think about the specific skills, the concepts and facts taught in each subject. However these skills may not be relevant to every day living for instance when do we use algebra in our every day problem solving? The Marxist regard the curriculum as a ‘smokes screen’ where the hidden curriculum lays active to socialise young people into accepting the role assigned to them by the capitalist class. The hidden curriculum teaches submission, however there are some Marxists that acknowledge teachers who ‘battle’ against exploitative capitalism. The features of the hidden curriculum include school rules, detentions and suspensions, rewards like merit badges, prizes, good marks what is indirectly
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