A humanistic education

Abstract

This chapter is a plea for doing the obvious: considering people as the most important ingredient of the quality of education. Contemporary anxiety about quality of education seems to focus principally on its practical societal functions: preparing people to participate in the economy and educating people against dangers and behaviours that have negative societal consequences (violence, war, gender inequality, substance abuse and so on). Powerful sources of finance, whether they be international institutions, bilateral donors or national parliaments, scrutinize education policies for evidence that they contribute to economic growth. Many reforms address institutional structures and mechanisms, management rather than philosophy and material changes rather than people. Debates rage about financing, school choice, increased competition, standardized measurement, management information and techniques and especially about methods of organizing education that can be teacher-proof, notably through the use of technologies.