Time to introduce philosophy in schools

It is notable that early childhood education and development has been receiving some local media attention lately. An earlier analysis in this newspaper cited the 2011 early childhood education policy, pointing out that “children are not required by law to attend kindergarten.” I think the education policy should be rethought to not only enshrine preschool education in law and make it mandatory, but introduce the study of philosophy in the upper classes. I will suggest why shortly. Statistics from elsewhere in the local media quote a “2015 study by Save the Children [that] indicated below par government spending at pre-primary level as funding to the education sector shrunk from 21 per cent of the budget in 2006 to 12.3 per cent in fiscal 2015.” It goes without saying, therefore, that while, according to the media report, most public nursery schools were introduced at Cell level nationwide three years ago, they continue to face shortages of key infrastructure such as classrooms, teaching and learning kits and toys. And, aside from genuine concerns expressed by educationists and parents about the woefully inadequate education for their three- to six-year olds, it dampens the verve in Rwanda’s drive towards a knowledge-based economy at the very fundamental preschool level. The World Bank has articulated four pillars to attain a knowledge economy, with institutional structures that entrench good education systems, which lay the foundation ultimately ensuring availability of skilled labour. The other pillars include incentives for entrepreneurship and the use of knowledge; a vibrant innovation landscape that includes academia, the private sector, civil society that enable start-ups; and, ICT infrastructure and access. Note that the four pillars reinforce each other. Ironically, however, the success that has been achieved in the ICT infrastructure and access, has also created an unforeseen problem that has been described as the echo chamber effect observed in the social media. It risks compromising the other three pillars. The echo chamber effect describes how information, ideas, or beliefs are reinforced and amplified through repetition in a particular situation, say, on Facebook or WhatsApp groups. It is this effect that has allowed promotion of often polarising narratives in some groups that have been shown to resist information that doesn’t conform to their beliefs, however negative their biases. Imagine, then, our children, smartphone in hand, and the all sorts of unchallenged information they are feeding each other – more like echoing one another to belong or fit in their various peer groups – in the profusion of social media platforms. Ireland is already implementing a solution to the onset of the social malaise. Led by their president, Michael D. Higgins, the country introduced the study of philosophy in schools last September as an optional short course for 12- to 16-year-olds. The push is now to have it introduced in lower classes in primary schools. Speaking during last year’s World Philosophy Day, observed every third Thursday of November, President Higgins noted how philosophy “one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal to empower children, and how important they – including adults – should be encouraged to think critically, and learn to articulate their thoughts and provide justifications for them. This would enable them find ways of disagreeing without resorting to violence, whether verbal or physical. And yet it is ironic that the Internet, which was supposed to democratise useful information, has spawned a social effect that resists objective information at the altar of myth and prejudice propagated on social media “without ever coming across the informed contribution of journalism.” The establishment of a day dedicated to recognising the role philosophy should play in our daily lives was under the aegis of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) during its 2005 general conference, which highlighted its importance, especially for young people, as “a discipline that encourages critical and independent thought [that] is capable of working towards a better understanding of the world and promoting tolerance and peace.” I don’t know that there is a better argument than that our children should be equipped with tools of critical thinking, even for its own sake, as UNESCO espouses. And why not have it introduced in our schools?

Opinions

Time to introduce philosophy in schools