OVERVIEW OF EDUCATION

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The world around us is as a result of two major factors. It is either you teach or you learn.

The teaching and learning that occurs is what we mostly term it as education.

Education in its sense has no definite definition. One describes education according to the way he or she sees it. Many scholars have come up with school of thoughts about education. All these scholars (John Dewey, Ellen White, Plato etc.) all have different approach to defining education. That is to say, they all spoke about education from different views. However, they all have some common analogies in their description about education. 

John Dewey (1916), the American Educationist came up with his view of education that education has no end and the end of one's life means the end of his or her education. This lay much emphasis on education as a way of life which helps us to grow through constant change; improving our lifestyle and providing good living. Dewey also believed that human beings learn through 'hands on' approach. This places Dewey in the educational philosophy of Pragmatism. He (Dewey) believed that students must interact with their environment in order to adapt and learn.

However, Ellen White also describes education as the development of physical, mental and spiritual powers which are pleasing and appropriately combined in accordance to feeling or action. To White, Education is more than merely having a knowledge of books. It takes in everything that is good and acceptable. She also accepts the fact that education has no end and as soon as a person dies, his or her education has ended.

Plato also argued that education must teach a man to fight against unpleasantness and constantly strive for the good and the beautiful.  This means EDUCATION IS A STRUGGLE. He also regards education as a means to achieve justice , both individual and social justices. According to Plato, individual justice can be obtained when each individual develops his or her ability to the fullness. In this sense, justice means excellence. Plato believes that all people can easily exist in harmony when society gives them equal educational opportunity from an early age to compete fairly with each other.