Rethinking the Value of Education: Amartya Sen and the Capability Approach

Abstract

Many scholars such as Becker and Schultz, thinking from the point of view of economics, have conceptualised the value of education only in terms of the development of human capital and the consequent improvement of individual earnings and economic growth. This conception has policy implications that have the tendency to affect education and who gets it in the long run. The problem this paper addresses is the problem of the inadequate problematization of the value of education within the human capital theory. The paper situates education in the capability approach which conceptualises the value of education in terms of its propensity to expand human freedom and capabilities. It argues that apart from the economic value of education emphasised by the human capital theorists, it has intrinsic value and that it is this intrinsic value that justifies investment in education. The paper examines the capability approach as a Kantian framework of evaluation that focuses on human beings as ends in themselves rather than as means to ends. It also examines the important conceptual components of the capability approach and how they relate to education. Furthermore, it compares human capability and human capital approaches to education and argues that the human capital approach, by interpreting education only in terms of economic growth and employment, entails an overly narrow metric and conception of the value of education and that the capability approach offers a counterweight to this conception. It is argued that education is a basic capability, that it is a right that everyone, whether economically viable or not, should be allowed to enjoy, and therefore, that its provision should be a matter of justice which should be a social commitment. The paper has no geographical coverage as it is a theoretical analysis of the value of education from the perspective of human capital theory and capability approach. However, it has implication which can be used in all societies. The study draws attention to the fact the investment is education should not only focus on those who the government or parents think are economically viable which may lead to the neglect of certain segment of the population such as the girl child and those requiring special education. It also draws attention to the value of the humanities and considers the marginalisation of the humanities unacceptable. The humanities provide essential ingredients which include clarity of mind, knowledge of the world and understanding of culture which are required for local and global peaceful coexistence.