The United States President Barrack Obama proposed two years of free community college for all Americans in 2015. A Michael Stratford (2016), a reporter from Inside Higher Ed states that during his speech, he mentioned higher education is the best way to climb social, economic ladder. Moreover, a college education as a way for a low-income student to break into the middle class and the growing middle class as fix our economy. The concept is free education means to lower the student debt, which means more saving money for students and increases the spending which will benefit the economy. This is the same model of adopted by Germany and Scandinavia countries such as Sweden, Finland, and Norway, where lower unemployment and higher gross domestic product. However, an economic analyst has argued student debt in America is already reached billion dollars and the country cannot afford such a program. In fact, many studied conducted by the leaning left, centrist and more conservative on the relationship between the economy and education for decades and no consensus has yet been reached. The education for young people is their right as the citizen of the country or privilege as the family or community where they born. This essay will delineate young people educational opportunity and experience through the lens of Functionalism.
Since World War two, all the government has acknowledged the importance of education and advanced industrial economies like France, Britain, and Germany, etc. would most likely not function with education (Revise Sociology n.d.).The Functionalist are concerned about the role of education system meets the needs of society and helps to achieve order and stability. The schools are acting as agents of ‘social control’ or ‘agents of socialisation’ uses either rewards or sanctions to encourage young people to behave in a particular way, for example, the government does not want young people to leave the school and start killing each other like an animal. Social change or socialisation is frustrating and upsets the equilibrium and threatens the mutual interdependence of the people within that society. The foundations and structures of the general public adjust enough to compensate for a change and keep up the dependability of shared relationship. Emile Durkheim was one of the founders of modern sociology. Before he turned forty, he appointed as the professor at the powerful and prestigious position at the University of Bordeaux in Paris. He argued that the role of education was to bring together to achieve social solidarity (Ragged University 2015). Functionalism is the ideas of Emile Durkheim which at the society from the large scale perspective. In the theory of Functionalism, the society has made of a bunch of associated structures; the one structure is institutions which meet the needs of the community such as education, laws, religion, police and mass media, etc. Another one social facts are ways and acting formed by the society that existed before any individual lived and will live any person is dead. They are single items that cannot be influenced by anyone. The only someone noticed when he/she resists against them for example; the social fact is the law, the law always there but see when someone tries to break or act against it. Every structure has a function that meets a need of the society and works together to maintain the social equilibrium for instance schools, so student to find the jobs and support the community (Khan Academy Medicine 2013). However there are negative evaluations by critics, Functionalism focuses more on the institution and less on the individual, they get attention, but nothing does affect the structure of society.
Education opportunities determined at a micro level with friends, work circles and family culture playing a significant role in young people’s educational journey. In 2015, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development released a report of global school ranking where Australia on 14th position. The list dominated by Asian countries such as Singapore, South Korea, and Hong Kong, etc. which invest heavily in their schooling system (BBC 2016). Emile Durkheim argued that ‘school is a society in miniature’ preparing us for life in the wider world. For instance, both in school and at workplace we have to work together with people who are neither ally nor relatives (Revise Sociology n.d.). The idea of teaching standard and opportunities, there is the criteria that apply to all young people in the country and they all judged by the same standards and allowing universities to decide student best and worst. American sociologist Talcott Parsons argues that school bridges the gap between home and school (Marked by Teachers 2015). He explained in detail when a child in the family as the son or the daughter he/she has a ascribed status because his/her family love her/him, but when the young people go to university or college, he/she have to achieve grades or earn free time. The teachers can not give young people good grades his/her ascribed status this rule applies to the workplace; the young person has to gain respect and rewarded.
At the Marco-level anything outside intimate of contacts such as Centrelink, Vic roads, laws and school systems can impact young people education and opportunities. A Liz Burke (2016) reporter, from News Limited, reveals that one in five young students dropped their course in the first year of course in 2014. Also, the significant factor was part time work, family responsibilities and study commitments. The beyond Australia many young people cannot go to educational institution pretext of high tuition fees, transportation and health, etc. It means there will be less graduate or Ph.D. holders. Talcott Parsons agree with this function meritocratic education to help with role allocation to prepare for appropriate jobs (Revise Sociology n.d.). According to the Functionalist, the ‘inequality’ in society is necessary and fair to function properly. The people allocated to the depend on their skills and abilities, this process called ‘sorts and sifts.' Otherwise, society will stop, and the most important work roles would not fill. The qualification determines Work's functional importance, for each job is unique and requires skill, meaning whether just a couple or numerous other individuals, can perform the same function adequately. Rubbish collectors are important to public sanitation, but they do not need to pay high rates because it requires little talent or training to do the job. On the other side, doctors should be given enormous salaries because it requires extensive training and education and it is common that community must offer extra rewards such as income, vacations, promotion to inspire the most skilled to fill the most position (Boundless n.d.). However, there are some of the negative evaluations of Functionalism such as Marxists disagree that education system is really about the values of the ruling class. Those students fail at school do not believe as if they belong, and as a result refuse the values of the school, creating subcultures (Revise Sociology n.d.).
On the global scale economic agreements between Australia and other nations, universal laws such as the United Nations, religious groups with international influence affects young people in a myriad of ways. On 24th June 2016, The Great Britain made a landmark decision to leave the European Union (EU). The Aftab Ali (2016), a reporter from Independent reveals that 75 percent of young people aged 18 to 24 years old voted to remain with EU compared to older generation around 40 percent of over 65s. For young people from member EU countries, if they want to study or travel to the United Kingdom they have to apply for visiting visa or pay international tuition fees. Before a referendum EU student pay home rates in the UK. Another example, in Nigeria, different government, and rebel group protests against unfair distribution of wealth. The government bureaucracy where rich is becoming for more prosperous. According to the structural-functionalists points out that even poverty and inequality in society add in some way to the system’s overall stability. The social stratification is inevitable and beneficial to society (Boundless n.d.). The western countries have mutual education agreements such as English countries, Canada, Australia, and Ireland, etc. This deal helps young people to start the qualification in Australia and complete another country or for example, qualified doctors in Canada can apply for a (general practitioner) license in Australia through skill recognition program. Finally, according to the United Nations Convention on the rights of the child stated that Children have the right to an education in the article number 28 and number 29: Education should develop each child’s personality and talents to the full (United Nations Human Rights 2016).
In conclusion, the theory of Functionalism, variation in wealth, power and other rewards within the social structure are reasonable, and society runs smooth when people filled in different job role depend on skills, education, and abilities. By the way people interdependence on one and another and this make ensure the community will not fall apart. For young people educational highly influenced by family culture, friends, state laws, religious norms, global levels such as Vatican City and the United Nations.
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