The Role and Functions of Education
The role and functions of education is the debate about what education is for and whose interests it serves. Functionalists such as Emile Durkheim argue education creates social solidarity by transmitting a shared culture, and teaches the specialist skills needed for the division of labour in an industrial economy.
Before you start
Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:
Method
- Identify whether the question is asking about the functionalist view, the Marxist view, or both, and name the specific theorist attached to the point you are making.
- Define the exact concept precisely before using it: social solidarity, meritocracy, role allocation, the correspondence principle, ideological state apparatus, or the hidden curriculum.
- Apply Durkheim to explain how school transmits shared norms and values (social solidarity) and teaches the specialist skills a complex economy needs.
- Apply Parsons to explain how school treats pupils by universalistic, meritocratic standards rather than the particularistic standards of the family, and link this to Davis and Moore's argument that education allocates the most able pupils to the most functionally important jobs.
- Apply Bowles and Gintis's correspondence principle: the hierarchy, external rewards and fragmented subjects of school life mirror the hierarchy, wages and fragmented tasks of the capitalist workplace, producing a compliant workforce.
- Apply Althusser's concept of the ideological state apparatus: unlike the repressive state apparatus (police, courts), education controls people by transmitting ruling-class ideology so inequality is accepted as natural and fair.
- For a 12-mark discuss question, plan one paragraph of functionalist arguments for the statement, one paragraph of Marxist arguments against it, each backed by a named theorist, then write a conclusion that directly answers the question.
Worked example
Discuss the Marxist view that the main function of education is to serve the interests of capitalism rather than society as a whole. (12 marks)
- Plan the functionalist counter-case first: Durkheim's social solidarity and Parsons's meritocratic role allocation both present education as working in everyone's interest.
- Set out the Marxist case for the statement: Bowles and Gintis's correspondence principle shows the hierarchy and discipline of school mirroring the capitalist workplace, preparing an obedient workforce.
- Add supporting detail: the hidden curriculum teaches punctuality, competition and acceptance of authority without ever appearing on a timetable, and Althusser calls education an ideological state apparatus that spreads ruling-class ideology.
- Weigh the two cases: functionalists can point to genuine skills teaching and some social mobility through education, but Marxists can point to the persistence of class inequality in outcomes despite the claim of meritocracy.
- Write a conclusion that takes a position rather than just repeating both sides, for example that the correspondence principle is more convincing because it explains patterns of inequality that persist despite formally equal, meritocratic rules.
Practice questions
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Q1What term does Durkheim use for the shared norms and values that bind members of society together?Show answer
Answer: Social solidarity (or the collective conscience).
Q2According to Parsons, is the family based on particularistic or universalistic values?Show answer
Answer: Particularistic values - family members are judged by standards specific to them, unlike school, which judges pupils by the same universal standards.
Q3What do Davis and Moore argue education allocates pupils to?Show answer
Answer: The job roles that best match their ability, so the most talented are allocated to the most functionally important positions.
Q4Name the Marxist concept Bowles and Gintis use to describe the similarity between school and the capitalist workplace.Show answer
Answer: The correspondence principle.
Q5What is the hidden curriculum?Show answer
Answer: The unofficial lessons pupils learn through the everyday organisation of school, such as obedience to authority and acceptance of hierarchy, rather than through the timetabled subjects.
Q6According to Althusser, is education part of the repressive state apparatus or the ideological state apparatus?Show answer
Answer: The ideological state apparatus - it controls people by spreading ruling-class ideas rather than by force.
Q7Give one criticism a Marxist might make of Parsons's claim that school is meritocratic.Show answer
Answer: That the meritocracy is a myth, because middle-class pupils are more likely to succeed regardless of ability, so the system legitimates inequality rather than removing it.
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a GCSE Sociology exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
Explain two functions of education according to functionalists.
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Nothing ticked yet - 4 available
Explain, using sociological concepts, how Bowles and Gintis's correspondence principle links school to the workplace.
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Nothing ticked yet - 6 available
Discuss the view that the education system works in the interests of everyone in society. (12 marks)
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Nothing ticked yet - 12 available
See real GCSE Sociology past-paper questions, with official mark schemes →
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