It is now accepted that education is the reconstruction of experience.In other words,education never ends.It is a continous process in one's life, since it is life itself not preparation for life.It ends only when one dies.Education develops awareness of change among the community members.It also develops appreciation of skills ,attitudes and knowledge that is conducive to development .It enables people to lead useful life in society and promotes the quality of the life.Education liberates man from the shackles and limitations of ignorance and dependency.It moulds man to be reponsible ,manager or director of own destiny and environment. Education seeks for means of survival and happiness without it there would be no development and progress.
The importance of education is for personal and his environment's development, which make school to be a community education centre.
Children come to school to acquire knowledge , various skills and the social values. Parents come to school too,not only to take part in their adult education programmes,but this time to participate fully in the learning of their children. For instance parents can come to teach as resource persons .They are proficient at some skills or tell legrndary stories and explain some aspects of culture to the pupils.The other point is of emulating government efforts of self -reliance in educational buildings ,which means parents are involved in the activities of the schools right at the ontset ,as school development committees.School therefore become the product of parents' efforts.The government just supplement their efforts together with civic organisations.The school belongs to both children and parents.
As a community centre the school links learning with the local and world.It does this by ensuring that its curriculum reflects the principal values of the community and perpetuates them. Therefore ,school should teach what is found in the local and world around, thus society values ,for instance its language and culture ,its history ,its ways of surviving or how it interact with other societies around the worldover. and so on. It is for this cause that schools should live and share the the life of the community it serves.A situation whereby school and community operate separately or when one dictates to the other is detrimental to the social development.The school should prepare children to play certain roles in society.The curriculum is the instrument with which to achieve this function.Curriculum should be the best selection from culture of the people for the people by the people for their development. So what taught in the schools should come from the community.Whilst involving the community in the affairs of the school is the only way to safeguide the values of the community,this in turn guarantees the continuity and stability of the community.
The other reason why school should be a community centre is to equalise opportunity for learning .Education is a human right.It plays an important role in modern life and in development generally.Even adults need to take part in educational programmes that are specifically designed for them.The school is the right place to meet and share ideas.School is where education takes place ,it has teachers ,buildings and equipment that might required.It is clear that without education one is likely to remain in the same low position since most jobs today require atleast an ability to read and write.Even adults should have these skills such as reading and writing ,making planned decisions or be informed to be forearmed, that will enable them to live better lives. We know that small scale farmers need to know how to apply pesticides and fertlisers on their crops .An ability to read will enable them to do this. Education will make them have knowledge of balanced diet, and grow these crops for them to provide their families with well balanced foods.Education is capable of doing this because it frees man from ignorance and dependecy .It make a person to appreciate doing things for own good cause.
