THE URGENCY OF REDISCOVERING QUALITY EDUCATION FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE LIGHT OF JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU

Résumé

A lot is left to be desired with the output of our educational system and its graduates. This seems to be the reason why Jean Jacques Rousseau in his classical work “Emile” employs the novelistic device of the boy 'Emile' and his tutor to illustrate how such an ideal citizen might be educated. He notes well on the importance of expression rather than repression to produce a well-balanced, free thinking child, who will in turn grow to be an adult that will impact on his society. Today Rousseau's ideas on the natural development of the child can be seen to be at work among those who may refer to themselves as “progressive”. This work gives full support to the careful education of the child, who at that stage of infancy is modeled towards a life that will make him in the society. It aims at creating awareness to the society to know the need of integrated education towards the child as he matures, so as to be a concrete asset to society and address our educational problems. It resolves that the authentic agents of education of a child such as; the parents, the civil society, the school teachers as well as good environmental condition are required. The method is analytical, Expository and Evaluative on the body of literatures on Rousseau's education