Philosophers of education study the problems of education from a philosophical perspective.

Therefore, philosophers of education are interested in analyzing and clarifying concepts and
questions central to education. To do this, they need to know something about several of the
standard branches of philosophy such as, idealism, realism, metaphysics, existentialism,
naturalism, pragmatism and so on. Therefore, this academic essay will try to discuss the
contributions made by different philosophers of education (i.e. Socrates, Aristotle, Jean Paul
Satre, Jean Jacquees Rousseau, and John Dewey) to modern education theories and to the
Zambian Education System.

Socrates was an idealist who has contributed a lot in the modern education. He is considered
to be one the proponents of idealism. Idealism is a philosophical position which adheres to
the view that nothing exists except an idea in the mind of man, the mind of god, or in super or
super-natural realm. According to Broundy (1961) defines idealism as “a belief that our ideas
are the only things that are real and that we can know about”.

However, the Zambian Education has adopted much from this school of thought in terms of
the curriculum. For instance, Idealism believes that man has two natures-original and
spiritual. Therefore, the aim of education is to convert the original nature into spiritual nature
and to make him a man in the true sense of the word. A man can become man by education
only. Hence such subjects as history, geography, languages, fine arts, morality, religion,
sciences, mathematics and others are to be included in the curriculum (Akinpelu, 1981).

Secondly, Aristotle was a realist who also contributed much to the modern education which
the Zambian Education has adopted as well. Kneller (1971:4) asserts that according to
realists, matter has an objective reality and that matter is the underlying principle of all
things. He said that for matter to become a reality, it must acquire a form. That it is only
when matter acquires a form that it becomes a reality. However, Aristotle postulated that
matter is the principle of potentiality. This means that matter is always in the process of
becoming something. This form he said is the principle of actuality, that is, it is this form that
makes matter a reality.

Consequently, the Zambian education system has benefited from this school of thought. For
instance, realists assert that education should be practical and help man to survive in this
world. It is obvious that subjects like reading, writing, history, law, arithmetic, physics,
agriculture, religious and moral instruction, optics and mechanics are included in the
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curriculum. In addition, the entire subject (s) that are or to be in a curriculum should contains
elements of the society’s culture. By so doing, education can be both transmission of specific
cultural values and the subsequent development of the child’s capacity for further learning.

According to Akinpelu (1981) asserts that this can be only be implemented by making the
environment into school workshops which may be used for practical work. By doing this, it
enables learners and enhances their different abilities to be discovered, benefit and develop
themselves in the society. For examples, in Southern province where agricultural activities is
more dominant. Therefore, the curriculum should be based on the crop production. Similarly,
muchinga province, where much of caterpillar picking is being exercised by the Tswaka
people.

Jean Paul Satre is another philosopher who contributed much too modern education as well as
to the Zambian education system. He was well known to be an existentialist. According to
Jean (1848), existentialism could be described as philosophy of existence, holding that
existence precedes essence. It is concerned with the development of human conscious state
considering man as thinking, feeling and acting individuals in the world. On the other hand,
existentialism ordinarily implies a theory, which emphasizes that human beings are free and
responsible for their actions in a world without meaning. In other words, the world has no
order, no meaning and no purpose (Wingo, 1974).

According to Jean (1848) postulated that, the existentialists believe that reality is what the
human being experiences and that through human beings, the fundamental truths of existence
can be discovered. Thus, the human being must make a deliberate and serious examination of
his existence on earth. Notwithstanding to this school of thought, the Zambian education
system has benefited a lot in that; it encourages students to act on their decisions and accept
responsibilities for whatever consequences.

Thus, children develop moral obligations which create awareness for him to recognize the
vanity and nothingness of being. As a result, the Zambian curriculum is more concerned with
developing affective aspect of man. Therefore, subjects under humanities are included in the
curriculum because of human impact they exert in revealing man’s inherent, guilt, sin,
suffering, tragedy, death, hate and love. This, equip the individual to be able to adapt to the
natural phenomena of life. Therefore, education should create in the individual an awareness,
which stimulates him to explore the nature of his being (Njoronge, et al, 1956).
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Furthermore, Jean Jacquees Rousseau is another influential philosopher who propounded
naturalism as a school of thought. According to him, naturalism is usually defined as the
philosophical concept that the only reality is nature, as gradually discovered by our
intelligence using the tools of experience, reason and science. While, Singh (2007) defined
naturalism as “the theory that everything in the world and life is based on natural causes, and
laws, and not on spiritual or supernatural one”. Therefore, this school of thought believes that
nature alone represents the whole of reality. According to naturalists people learn more
through direct experience that is by doing rather than by reading the books. Consequently,
naturalism believes that education should be according to nature of the child.

However, the Zambian education system has benefited from this school of thought in that;
education should include such subjects which have linkage with physical and natural
environments. In general, curriculum should be based on the psychology of the child. Only
such subjects should be stressed which are helpful in self-preservation. Study of basic
sciences and past experiences of the race should also be included. The principles of teaching
as suggested implicitly by Rousseau reflect his naturalistic philosophy.

Therefore, Rousseau advocates the adoption of the heuristic attitude which places the child in
the position to discover. For example, to learn science in a practical fashion, by means of
rough experiments performed with apparatus self-made and self–invented. As a result, the
Zambian education has benefited because the education of a child is centered on his
activities.

Lastly, John Dewey is also a major contributor to the modern education. He is considered to
be the father of pragmatism. Pragmatism as a school of thought is defined as a theory holds
that knowledge is only meaningful if our senses can experience it. In other words, this theory
believes in practical ideas and experimentation. In simplicity, it is a theory of solving
problems in a practical and sensible way rather than having fixed ideas and theories (Patrick,
1965).

According to Patrick (1965) pragmatism addresses man and nature that, nothing is permanent
and the only thing that is permanent is change, that values are relative, and that man is very
intelligent and calls for the use of his critical intellectual ability. Therefore, education is seen
as basically a social process rooted in problem-solving and the exploration of the meaning of
experience. Hence, the pragmatists urge that the school curriculum should be changing and it
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should not be fixed in advance because the goals of the child change, more reality is in the
making.

Dewey (1902) argues that, education and learning are social and interactive processes, and
thus the school itself is a social institution through which social reform can and should take
place. In addition, he believed that students thrive in an environment where they are allowed
to experience and interact with the curriculum, and all students should have the opportunity
to take part in their own learning.

As stated above therefore, the Zambian education system has improved its curriculum in that
it is utilitarian to the child. For instance, domestic science languages, and hygiene are in
included. The basic principles of domestic science will reveal to them the law of nature and
develop their individual ability to enter into nature. Also aesthetic subjects such as drama,
painting and sculpture that reveal objective beauty of nature and develop the child’s refined
taste and sense of appreciate. This has made the development of child’s whole personality. In
addition, education, which should be child-centered, should be systematically provided in
such a way that it constantly challenges the intellectual ability of the learner through
experiments (Dewey, 1902).

From foregoing discussion it can be deduced that, the relevance contributions made by the
above philosophers to modern education it is obvious beneficial to the Zambian education
system. Hence, the educational implications from the above schools of thought as enumerated
by different philosophers are quite significant in enhancing the teaching and learning
processes in our educational institutions. Since there cannot be one and absolute way to
solving a social problem, the knowledge and application of a combination of various theories
from time to time with regards to various situations that come our way, cannot be over
emphasized in an ever changing world. This is why features of the various schools of thought
are reflected in the National Policy on Education and the various curricular packages.

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 REFERENCES

Akinpelu, J. A. (1981). An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education. London:

Macmillan.

Broundy, S. (1961). Building a Philosophy of Education. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-

Hall, Inc.

Dewey John (1902). The Child and the Curriculum. Chicago University Press.

Jean, P. S. (1948). Existentialism and Humanism. London: Methuen Publishers.

Kneller G. (1971). Introduction to the Philosophy of Education. New York: Wiley and Son
Inc. p. 4.

Njoronge, R.J. and Bennars, G.A. (1956). Philosophy and Education in Africa. Nairobi:
Trans-Africa Press.

Patrick, O.M. (1965). Philosophy of Education. New York: Macmillan limited.

Singh,Y.K.,(2007). Philosophy Foundation of Education. Ansari road: S.B.Nangia.

Wingo, G.M. (1974). Philosophies of Education: An Introduction. D.C. Health and

company.

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