Dr. Hakim Singh
The concept of knowledge as a tool for subjugation is not new, as scholars like Paulo Freire have long warned of the dangers of a banking model of education. In the present corporate world, education has become a means to create an efficient workforce that can increase productivity and profits for the bourgeoisie classes. And this approach has led to the loss of essence of education, where the value of knowledge for its own sake has been replaced by a focus on job skills. It is often viewed as a means to an end rather than a valuable pursuit in and of itself.
Education used to be seen as a process of all round development. However, now it has become a commodity to be bought, displayed, and sold in the private hands. The classrooms have been converted into the shops. The Companies hire multipurpose objective serving employees rather than those who have general and specific expertise in a particular field. This overburdens the whole working force with multiple tasks hardly connected to their self-growth. In Marxian perspective, the educators are alienated from the work as per their nature, from their fellows, family, real goals, and discourses. Furthermore, the commodification of education has led to widening socio-economic gap, as only those from privileged backgrounds can afford to access education. This perpetuates the cycle of poverty and limited access to opportunities to the larger section of the society. The lack of real education hinders individuals from reaching their full potential and contributing to society as a whole.
The narrow focus on job skills has also resulted in a devaluation of the social sciences (e.g., philosophy, Political Science, History, Sociology etc.) in majority of the privately owned educational institutions. The few institutions providing Liberal Arts also lack the relevant and specific goal-oriented culture. Without appropriate focus on research or academics and discourse, they create mere technocrats. These fields are seen as less important than professional courses which are believed to be more directly applicable to the needs of the corporate world. The agencies are more concerned with attracting students through advertising and publicity than with providing really a high-quality education. As a result, academic standards have declined, and grades have become inflated to prevent the socio, economic, political, and cultural progress. The job of a teacher or an academician in private world have become more clerical and insecure than a marketer, managers, HRs etc.
Without separating the academic and non-academic roles, the non-academic and technical support system has taken the front seat to undermine the real paths of education. This subjugation of education has decreased the number of students pursuing liberal arts degrees. Students are increasingly choosing the professional courses that they believe will lead to high-paying jobs, rather than majors that will provide a well-rounded education.
Eventually, this trend is worrying because it threatens the very essence of education. This model treats students as passive receptacles to be filled with information, rather than as active participants in their own learning. One can see this model perpetuated in various ways. For example, standardized tests are often prioritized over actual learning, and teachers are pushed to teach to the test rather than fostering critical thinking and creativity. Additionally, the focus on professional education at the expense of its socio-political aspects reinforce the idea that education is only valuable if it serves the purpose of market. Taking reference from the Plato’s education and justice theories, the private setting does not follow the principles of quest for wisdom/philosophy and virtuous education. It is reduced to the earning of livelihood and gaining the basic economic self-sufficiency.
It also disobeys modern laws of functional specialization, non-interference and above all the task allocation based on nature of qualification. It only makes individual a robot rather than an agent of self and social change.
These trends are concerning because they limit the scope of education and perpetuate a system of inequality, ignorance, and slavery. Students who do not fit into the narrow moulding of what is deemed “successful” are often left behind, and those who do succeed may find that their education has left them ill-equipped to handle the complexities of the world outside the classroom.
It is high time to re-evaluate our priorities when it comes to education in corporate sphere. Education is not just about acquiring skills, but about fostering curiosity, empathy, and critical thinking. It is also crucial for us to revisit the purpose of education and break away from the capitalist model that predominates our current life. Instead of viewing education as a means to an end, we must reimagine it as a process of personal and societal growth, encouraging the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, and empowering individuals to reach their full potential. Only by prioritizing these values, we can work towards a more just and equitable society in which teachers, pandits and academicians are considered as torch bearers rather than salesmen or advertising agents. It is essential that we recognize the importance of education for its own sake and work to restore its value in the corporate world through public check.
(The author is an Assistant Professor at Political Science Department, CT University Punjab.)
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