The functions of Education 2
Functionalism, education and the economy
Functionalists see education as functional because it teaches the skills required by a
modern industrial society, produces human capital and allocates people to their
most effective role within the economic system.
Skills provision
Functionalists argue that an important function of education is to respond to the
needs and demands of the economy and to produce a skilled workforce that can
compete effectively with workers in other countries. For example, as we have seen
when examining educational policy,
mass education was introduced in 1870 so that the UK economy could
compete on equal terms with the economies of Germany and the USA.
In the 1960s as the economy required more complex skills , higher education
was expanded in the UK in order to educate UK workers in ‘new’ skills such
as IT and computer programming.
In the 1980s, vocational education and training was introduced to increase
young people’s skills levels because it was argued that the British economy
was in decline because British workers lacked the appropriate skills and
attitudes towards work.
In the 1990s, New Labour expanded the Apprenticeship scheme and raised
the school leaving age in an attempt to make Britain more competitive in the
global economy.
Human capital theory
Human capital is the stock of knowledge, skills, habits, values and creativity
embodied in the ability to perform work that produces real economic value.
Functionalists argue that economic investment in people via education is similar to
investment in factories or technology in that it will produce more effective workers
and consequently profit and wealth.
Role allocation
The functionalist thinkers, Davis and Moore (1945) believed that education
functions to sift and sort pupils and students via examinations and qualifications
so that they can be allocated to a work role or job that best suits their abilities.
Davis and Moore argue that the most functionally important jobs in modern
industrial economies need to be allocated to those who display the most ability,
effort and flexibility. Those with lower grades need to be allocated low-skilled jobs.
