The idea of Deschooling Society in the Educational Philosophy of Ivan Illich

Ajay Kumar

Volume : VI, Issue : II, February - 2016

The idea of Deschooling Society in the Educational Philosophy of Ivan Illich

Ajay Kumar

Abstract :

Modern age is the age of competition & struggle in which the material success is fast becoming the only criteria of one’s ability and potential. It is so astonishing that as the number of schools and colleges are increasing, the instances of pupils falling short in adjustability and motivation are becoming more evident. The overemphasis on examination and conformity is turning these educational institutions as place of burden for helpless students. In this context, the ideas and philosophy propagated by renowned thinker Ivan Illich is inarguably getting the attention of intelligentsia all over the world. In his Deschooling concept, Ivan Illich upended the conversation around education reform by arguing that instead of trying to optimize the lamentable systems of compulsory schooling with new technology or innovative teaching strategies, we ought to dismantle the system altogether and build learning webs, peer–matching systems, skill exchanges, and other resources for liberated learning and free inquiry. The idea of Deschooling Society continues to be popular with self–educators and unschooling families. In this paper, a humble attempt has made to analyze the philosophical ideas of Deschooling in Ivan Illich’s work and its educational implications in our present time.