Define education. Discuss the organizational structure of education.
Education is an effort of the senior people to transfer their knowledge to the younger members of society. It is, therefore, also an institution which plays a vital role in integrating an individual with his society and in maintaining the perpetuation of culture.
The french sociologist Emile Durkheim defines education as the influence exercised by the adult generation upon those who are not yet ready for adult life.
II. The Organizational Structure of Education :
There are three levels of education and each level has its organisational structure :
1. The elementary and secondary level
2. The college level
3. The university level
We will discuss in brief these levels of the organisational structure of education.
1. The Elementary and secondary Level Education : The elementary level of education has four sub-levels, the primary (for 5 years), the upper primary or the middle classes (for another 3 years) and secondary or high school (for a further 2 years). And the last or the highest level of the elementary level is the Senior Secondary Level (10+2 level) i.e. for another 2 years after the high school level.
A child normally completes the first to sub-levels of elementary education by the age of 14 years. Government of India has made education upto this level (from age 6 to 14 years) free and compulsory.
2. The College Level : In some states, classes XI and XII constitute the college Level education. However, after completing this (i.e. the 10+2 level), the student enters in degree colleges. College education is the threshold-level of education which makes child qualified to take decisions about the future course of one's educational career.
3. The University Level : One may go in for professional education and becomes a skilled professional worker in different fields or may opt for higher studies in conventional theoretical subjects being offered in the universities.
III. Other related points with the Organisational Structure of Education in India : (a) The formal education normally presupposes the availability of at separate building meant for this purpose.
(b) All the levels (from elementary to university level) of education mentioned above must each have a distinct definite organizational set up.
(c) The organizational structure of formal education consists of three main organs: (i) the teachers, (ii) the students, and (iii) the administrative staff members are appointed by a person or a boby of persons having legitimate authority to do so, on the basis of certain prescribed rules and regulations.
(d) In pre-industrial societies, teachers were normally drawn from the higher strata or sections of society. In India, this work was traditionally taken up by Brahamins.
(e) For the students also, a minimum qualification is prescribed for entry into a particular course of education. The student receives education on payment of fees and is bound to abide by the rules laid down by the administration of the educational institution.
(f) The modern formal education is mass education. Nobody is denied admission in schools and colleges on the basis of caste, creed or any such characteristics other than the lack of prescribed minimum educational qualification. This is also guaranteed nearly under all modern constitutions including the Indian Constitution.
(g) In ancient Indian society, education was the privilege of only the higher caste people, the lower caste people were usually denied education. Our Consittution now guarantees education to every section of society under the goal of universal education.
(h) From administrative point of view, some educational institutions are run privately some are controlled by government and some others are semi-governmental. In India, quite a large number of schools and colleges are privately run.
