CONCEPT OF SCHOOL

INTRODUCTION
School in the modern time is treated as the most suitable, active and formal agency of education. As per the changing need of the hour, school develops and grows with its specific goals. It is emerged out of the demand for education and pressure on the parents regarding their educational pursuit.
The word ‘School’ has been derived from the Greek word ‘Skhole’ that means leisure. It was before in the ancient Greece to utilize leisure time in a systematic way. But now this concept has changed to prime time activity. It is an essential investment field now on which the entire superstructure of life of the individual and nation will build.

CONCEPT OF SCHOOL
A school is an institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students (or "pupils") under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools. The names for these schools vary by country (discussed in the Regional section below) but generally include primary school for young children and secondary school for teenagers who have completed primary education. An institution where higher education is taught, is commonly called a university college or university.
In addition to these core schools, students in a given country may also attend schools before and after primary and secondary education. Kindergarten or pre-school provide some schooling to very young children University, vocational school, college or seminary may be available after secondary school. A school may be dedicated to one particular field, such as a school of economics or a school of dance. Alternative schools may provide nontraditional curriculum and methods.
There are also non-government schools, called private schools. Private schools may be required when the government does not supply adequate, or special education. Other private schools can also be religious, such as Christian schools, madrasa, hawzas(Shi'a schools), yeshivas (Jewish schools), and others; or schools that have a higher standard of education or seek to foster other personal achievements. Schools for adults include institutions of corporate training, military education and training and business schools.
In much of continental Europe, the term school usually applies to primary education, with primary schools that last between four and nine years, depending on the country. It also applies to secondary education, with secondary schools often divided between Gymnasiums and vocational schools, which again depending on country and type of school educate students for between three and six years.
In North America, the term school can refer to any educational institution at any level, and covers all of the following: preschool (for toddlers), kindergarten, elementary school, middle school (also called intermediate school or junior high school, depending on specific age groups and geographic region), high school (or in some cases senior high school), college, university, and graduate school.
FUNCTIONS OF SCHOOL IN THE SOCIETY
Functions of school can be categorized as manifest or latent functions.
A manifest function of school is a function that people believe is the obvious purpose of school and education. Manifest functions of school are those that are intended and that most people think about. For example, in elementary school, parents expect their children to learn new information but also how to 'get along' with other children and begin to understand how society works.
Two of the most significant manifest functions of schools are socialization and the transmission of cultural norms and values.
• Socialization
Socialization refers to a process by which individuals acquire a personal identity and learn the knowledge, language, and social skills required to interact with others. Again, students don't only learn from the academic curriculum prepared by teachers and school administrators. They also learn social rules and expectations from interactions with others. Students in America receive rewards for following schedules and directions, meeting deadlines, and obeying authority. They learn how to avoid punishment by reducing undesirable behaviors like offensive language. They also figure out that to be successful socially, they must learn to be quiet, to wait, to act interested even when they're not, and to please their teachers without alienating their peers.
• Cultural Transmission:
Besides socialization, another significant manifest function of school is the transmission of cultural norms and values to new generations. Schools help to mold a diverse population into one society with a shared national identity and prepare future generations for their citizenship roles. Students are taught about laws and our political way of life through civic lessons, and they're taught patriotism through rituals such as saluting the flag. Students must also learn the Pledge of Allegiance and the stories of the nation's heroes and exploits. Because America is a capitalist nation, students also quickly learn the importance of both teamwork and competition through learning games in the classroom as well as activities and athletics outside the classroom.
Latent Functions Of Schools:
A latent function is a function that people are not aware of or doesn't come to mind straight away and usually is not intended. For example, schools often play a matchmaker function: they put together individuals of similar ages and backgrounds, and this results in many of us finding romantic partners and mates in primary, secondary, or post-secondary school.
Latent functions may sometimes contradict manifest functions. For example, another manifest function of school is to serve as a sorting mechanism that selects students for higher or lower social positions based on their academic performance. Optimistically, schools prepare students for their future social positions by identifying and developing each student's talents and abilities regardless of the student's current social position. Teachers encourage the 'best and the brightest' to pursue the most challenging and advanced studies while guiding the ordinary students into educational programs suited to their talents. However, some sociologists believe that this social placement system is a latent function of school that perpetuates inequality. They believe students' future social positions are determined by their current positions in society, which the schools try to preserve. For example, wealthier parents send their kids to better schools, which provide more opportunities for higher future social positions.
Another Main Functions Of School Includes:
(1) Conservation and promotion of culture:
The school conserves the valuable culture, tradition, values of the society and helps in promoting and developing these with the rolling of the time. It also spreads the store of culture to the next generation.
(2) All-round development of the individual:
For all-round development of the individual school has a package of programmes. Through its different activities, it draws out the hidden potentialities of the child and develops them in a proper way.
(3) Development of higher values of life:
School helps in developing and cultivating good and higher values like truth, sympathy, love, cooperation, etc. in child. Through different social interactions and moral teachings, it spreads the message of righteous living in a society.
(4) Development of social responsibility:
School is called a society in miniature. Because in schoolchild shares his feelings with various children coming from different strata. So he learns the lessons of social duty, responsibilities and understanding the feelings of others. So school helps in social change and social control.
(5) Citizenship training:
School creates the first civic society for the child. So child learns the duty and civic rights for the country as a responsible citizen. So school trains the lessons of citizenship to a child.
(6) Adjustability in society:
School prepares child to face the problems of the society. So proper adjustment and application of learned knowledge can be checked and guided by school. So the main function of the school is to develop adjustment capacity of an individual.
(7) Vocational training:
Through different activities, school provides training in different vocations. It also cultivates the values of dignity of work and labor. It prepares children to face any challenge in the future to solve their bare necessities.
The role of school cannot be confined with these lines. In modern days, the role of school has been increasing day by day. It is called the hub of learning. Every developed state gives first priority to the schools for total national development. Really, school is now a prestigious institution in the society, which can be called a man-making factory.

CONCLUSION
Functions of Schooling at the Individual Level School serve the different needs of varying individuals and diverse social groups, primarily for economic progress, career or professional advancement, and for achieving aspiration in life. School is useful for meeting student’s potential partners. The main function of school is to ensure the progressive development of innate powers of the child.