Re-thinking humanism as a guiding philosophy for education: a critical reflection on Ethiopian higher educat0ion institu
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Re-thinking humanism as a guiding philosophy for education: a critical reflection on Ethiopian higher educat0ion institutions Sisay Tamrat 1 # The Author(s) 2020
Abstract This paper aims to articulate and clarify the very essence of humanism and then contextualize it to the Ethiopian context. In this case, I believe that a humanistic philosophy for education is the best approach that helps students become holistic beings – citizens who are both morally/intellectually and economically capable, autonomous, critical and responsible. Students of Ethiopian Higher Education Institutions (EHEIs), however, are characterized by a dearth of humanistic elements for education. They are marred with intellectual and moral decadence. The methodology is qualitative for it largely depends on reviewing literatures and policy documents on the issue. The upshot of this paper is that the ideals of humanism in education is not an extra – icing on the cake- it is an essential tool that would clean the academic environment from the entrenched overall moral and intellectual decay permeating EHEIs. Keywords Humanism . Higher education . Human dignity . Freedom, intellectual
decadence . Moral sickness
Introduction It is very difficult if not impossible to have a universal approach to education that is applied in schools. This difficulty is a direct reflection of the recognition of the variations and differences of both the learner and educator. The problem is also related to the absence of a universal underpinning to the definition and purpose of education itself, for education has been defined in many ways, at different times, by different authors.
* Sisay Tamrat [email protected]
1
Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Political Science and International Studies, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
Tamrat S.
For Socrates, Jaspers (1959) declaims, for instance, education is like midwifery in which students are assisted to give birth to their abilities and talents (p. 50). Kant, on the other hand, Dewey (2004) argues, defines education as the process by which man becomes man (p. 102). Both [Kant and Socrates] underpinnings, though seems different, convey a virtually similar meaning since ‘man becomes a man’ when the learner is assisted or empowered to develop or give birth to his/her talents and abilities. So the difference between these two interpretations is only a matter of sequence – man becomes a man after he is empowered to give birth to his natural talents and abilities. Notwithstanding the differences writers, viz. Rousseau, believes that education is nothing other than a means or process whereby the learner would ‘realize his/her destiny’ and ‘achieve his/her full humanity’ so that he/she will be equipped to fit the constantly changing and dynamic environment. Put differently, through education learners will grow in to a worthy citizen not only to themselves but also to others (Monteiro n.d., p. 16). Realizing such a noble ideal, however, cannot be imagined in a vacuum. It is imperative rather to choose ed
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