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Weapons of Mass Instruction: A book review

Weapons of Mass Instruction is a book for those who are enraged by our current education system, which probably includes all of us. Written by a former teacher who has spent years in the system, this book is a powerful manifesto against our curriculum makers, administrators and designers of the system, teachers, and basically everyone who partakes in this collaborated effort to suppress the individualities of our children. As you will go through the book, you will empathise with the rage and the frustration of the author and you will hopefully start envisioning a better system which not only makes our students capable for jobs but also makes them educated.

The book analyses the history of modern schooling system and reveals how so many education policy makers were unified in their vision of what the goal of an education system should be. They saw education as a tool to tame the spirit of children and make them accustomed to following orders and ensuring a chaos free continuity of the system. Should the goal of the education system should be only to make the students literate and polish them as a resource to be used by business and industries? Shouldn't the education system make an attempt to create individuals who can think for themselves? Students who understand the system, its flaws and features, and if they feel a need to do so, they could stand and make an attempt to rectify the system. Yes, it may lead to an unstable system in the short term  but we can safely bet that inspired and informed efforts will lead to a better tomorrow. 



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