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Markets, Educational Opportunities and Education: Reply to Tooley
Author(s) -
Winch Christopher
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of philosophy of education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.501
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1467-9752
pISSN - 0309-8249
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9752.00106
Subject(s) - state (computer science) , intervention (counseling) , economics education , sociology , philosophy of education , positive economics , economics , pedagogy , economic growth , psychology , higher education , vocational education , algorithm , psychiatry , computer science
James Tooley argues that educational institutions offer educational opportunities rather than provide education. On this basis he claims that education can be offered without state intervention. It is argued here that education is not about the provision of opportunities but about preparation for life, and preparation for life is not an option among others. The consequences of this view are drawn out and it is argued that universal education can only be reliably provided by a central body such as the state and cannot be left to market forces as Tooley claims.