Depoliticizing Education

So as not to create confusion, it is of necessity to point out that there are two
contexts on which the relationship of politics and education is grounded upon: (1) the
never-ending argument that the study of politics should be included in an educational
curriculum, with emphasis on the primary and secondary levels and (2) the influence and
power of the hands of politics in the administration of an educational institution. My
perspective on the first context is that political issues and agendas are never left out from
an educational curriculum as teachers consciously and unconsciously blend these in their
discussions. To say for the least, studying history is learning the soft structure of politics.
It is essential that the youth should develop the awareness and willingness to involve
themselves in discussions concerning the nature and future of the state.
But the thing that I want to focus on in this write-up is the second context of the
relationship between politics and education. I do believe that it should always be in the
order of politics helping education gain ground and never the other way around.
However, it is turning out that some learning institutions, if not most, follow the opposite
path. Well actually, theres no denying the power and influence of politics in
administration. If used with good motive, foundations will bear fruit and develop into a
more enhanced institution. But if abused, highly-ranked officials will be the ones to
cultivate the supposed-to-be growth of the institution, and in the process, steal its
potential.
It is time that the society should be enlightened on the dark effects and outcomes
of this abuse and corruption of power. The teaching-learning process needs expertise and
dedication to achieve its purpose. And these attributes can only be found in the hearts and
minds of true teachers. As Arthur Koestler, a Hungarian-British author and journalist,
points out, Creative activity could be described as a type of learning process where
teacher and pupil are located in the same individual. For the learners to achieve their
full potential, they cannot just depend on their own talents and abilities. They duly need
someone to guide them and pave for them a path in their exploit to access their inner self
and therefore, identify who they really are.
Successful teaching and good school cultures dont have a formula, but they
have a necessary condition: teachers and principals must feel free to act on their best
instincts, Philip K. Howard, a legal reformer, emphasized in one of his speeches. If
schools are managed and surrounded by an administration whose primary objective is to
gain wealth and fame, our education system is doomed to fall. As much as hospitals
should be handled by doctors and construction sites should be supervised by engineers
and architects, so as educational institutions should be overseen by real educators and
passionate teachers.