By Sherine Huballah ID: GP95376
Global Affairs Department, Cuttintong University School of Graduate and Professional Studies
Introduction
The Role and purpose of education have long been debated in both developed and developing societies. Competing perspectives emphasize individual growth, economic productivity, social equality, or civic responsibility (Gutek, 2014). In the 1960s, Cold War tensions in domestic social change, Max Rafferty advocated a comfort so effective vision of education emphasizing truth, tradition, discipline, individuality, and patriotism (Rafferty,1967).
Historical Context of Rafferty’s Education.
Max Rafferty served as California Superintendent of Public Instruction from 1960 to 1967. He opposed progressive education reforms that emphasized social adjustment over academic rigor (Spring, 2018). Rafferty’s framework reflects classical educational philosophy, cultural conservatism, and civic republican ideas, emphasizing their focus on discipline, learning, cultural literacy, and informed citizenship.
for African nations emerging from colonial rule, similar debates have arisen: how to reconcile traditional knowledge and national identity in modern educational demands (Bates, 2021).
In Africa, particularly in countries like Liberia, education faces the dual challenge of equipping citizens with modern skills while preserving cultural heritage and fostering national cohesion. Understanding Rafferty’s 5 purposes can inform strategies to create the education system in post-conflict and developing contexts.
Education has long been a contested arena in debate over national identities, citizenship, and individual development in the mid-20th century. Max Rafferty, A prominent American educator and former California Superintendent of Public Instruction, articulated 5 core purposes of education that reflected the conference’s effective concern about cultural preservation, academic readiness in national survival.
Here Are The Five Education Purposes of Max Rafferty.
- The Pursuit of Truth
Rafferty argued that the foremost purpose of education is the pursuit of truth. Schools, in his view, should cultivate intellectual honesty, critical inquiry, and respect for objective knowledge. he warned against replacing truth seeking with ideology indoctrination or relativism. This purpose aligns with classical epistemology, which treats truth as discoverable reason and evidence. for effective education with a grounding in truth, education loses its moral and intellectual foundation. - The Transmission of Cultural Heritage
The second purpose of education, according to Rafferty, is to transmit the accumulated cultural heritage of society. this includes no language, history, moral values, or shared traditions. He believed that failure to pass on cultural knowledge would result in social fragmentation and loss of national identity. - Teaching Organized and Disciplined Knowledge
Rafferty and resized the importance of teaching structured, systematic subject matter he championing mastery of reading, writing, mathematics, history, and science over a loosely defined life skills program. - Individual Self-Realization
Despite his reputation as a conservative, Rafferty placed strong emphasis on the development of the individual. He argued that education should help learners discover and fulfill their personal potential. - Ensuring National Survival
The final purpose of education, according to Rafferty it is to ensure the survival of the nation. He regarded education as a tool for forming informed, patriotic citizens capable of defending democratic institutions.
like in the Cold War context, this purpose had a strong ideological dimension, yet it broader implication that education contributes directly to political stability and national resilience remains relevant in many modern states.
Validity and Application to Liberia
Rafferty’s educational philosophy is valid for Liberia because it aligns with the nation’s priorities: rebuilding institutions, fostering unity, strengthening academic standards, empowering youth, and ensuring long-term peace. Applying these principles can help Liberia develop an education system that supports both personal growth and national development.
Conclusion
Max Rafferty’s Five Purposes of Education presents is structure and value-driven vision of schooling. While rooted in the political realities of the 1960s, his ideas raise enduring questions about truth, cultural individual growth, and civic responsibility.
This course is taught by Dr. Akia P. Glay, with cover provided by Cllr. Phil Tarpeh Dixon
Reference
Rafferty, M. (1967). Education and the free society. Human Events.
Spring, J. (2018). American Education (18th.ed.). Rutledge
Gutex, G.L.(2014). Philosophical, Ideological, and Theoretical Perspectives on Education.
About the Author
