The bureaucracy of standardisation


Monday 7 March 2016


In my opinion, schools are, in essence facilities of educational oppression.  Alright, so before you bite my head of, let me motivate why I just made this bold statement.  Late great Nelson Mandela said that 'education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world'.  But how powerful is this weapon really?


Education is only a tool that is used for the economic agenda of the world.  That is why schools try to put people in boxes of mathematics, commerce and science.  The humanities find themselves on the proverbial back foot in a neo-liberal economic system that values commerce and science.  For this reason, it is expected of learners to think in concrete terms and numbers.  Thus, it is no surprise that the majority of the learners who joined the 'independent project' were learners who despised mathematics. 


People are being placed in boxes that they do not want to be in.  And if they do not want to be there what type of education are they getting?  Are they really learning or are they just sitting in class like puppets?  The 'Independent project' is encouraging these learners to tear their boxes apart and stop being enclosed in a system of bureaucracy.


People are inherently inquisitive and learning comes natural.  But when you are forced to sit in a class and listen to things you do not want to you automatically switch of and do not learn.  This is why I say that schools are 'facilities of educational oppression.'  If you want people to learn, do not put them in a classroom and force them to do things they do not want to.  Get them to spontaneously engage in education through passion.


The 'Independent project' advocates for passion and inquisitiveness.  That is why it is being successful.  Innovation is born out of creativity and boxing people in just leaves them imprisoned.  I think we must do away with the whole notion of standardisation and realise that people thrive on freedom and creativity. 


For instance.  Make use of ICT but do not standardise it.  All you have to do is put a learner in front of a computer and he/she will automatically learn or they will teach each other.  Standardising ICT just puts people in a box again.  Which takes a way from education.


Set your creative spirit free.