HIERARCHY OF

SUBJECTS IN
FORMAL
EDUCATION

Submitted By: Kamely Fatema Mim

ID: 1430159030

Course code: ENG 105

SEC: 30

Submitted To: Ms. Noora Shamsi Bahar

Senior Lecturer,

Department of English & Modern Languages,

North South University

Date: 19th December, 2017

Acknowledgement
All praises to almighty Allah, who has bestowed his kindness upon us by giving us the chance,

time, courage, and strength to carry out and finish this huge task within deadline. I would like to

thank those who have contributed to it a lot.

I sincerely acknowledge my debt to Ms. Noora Shamsi Bahar, my honorable faculty, to give me

the opportunity to work on this project. I owe particular thanks to her for her valuable suggestions,

references and encouragement.

I am also thankful to Professor Sharif Uddin Ahmed, Chairman, Department of History &

Philosophy, North South University, who has helped me by providing necessary information

which helped to complete and enrich my project.

Finally, I must not lose the chance of expressing my sincere appreciation to some of my friends,

who shared their valuable suggestions and also inspired me all the time.

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Abstract
This report focuses on the hierarchy of subjects that followed in formal education and its impact

on personal and social life. The paper identifies the conditions of people’s mentality regarding the

existing education system and the new system where no hierarchy is suggested. It mainly focuses

on the impact of this so-called ranking in subjects in education sector and if there is no ranking

then what would be the scenario and is it really feasible in Bangladesh or not. Though I have done

my secondary research, this report basically based on the result of the primary research (survey).

I have conducted the survey of 53 people. It highlights the people’s mentality to stick on the

existing system and fear of the new system. The good and bad sides of the existing system. Some

people think that the ranking system is the best way to find out the brilliant students where some

people think that we should not create any barrier for students to learn something according to

their desire. This report also shows that how a person who choose arts/ humanity over

science/technical subjects, feel awkward and embarrassed when he/she is asked about their

profession. And how the guardian and other people directly and indirectly forcing a child to study

the technical subjects rather than arts/humanities. Children are forced to kill their creativity while

they are passionate about dance, drama, music etc. this paper also shows that a creative person can

be an innovator a good leader also and it is not necessary to be good in mathematics only to be the

analytical person. A painter, imaginer, creative person also can be the analytical person. So, this

report suggests that it is not mandatory to rank the subjects in education system, rather if anyone

do their preferred job then the person can be more productive in their job sector which is not only

good for that person also for the society, for the whole country.

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Table of Contents
Introduction & Background ....................................................................................................................... 4-7
Research questions ....................................................................................................................................... 8
Hypothesis..................................................................................................................................................... 9
Methodology .............................................................................................................................................. 10
Data presentation & Analysis................................................................................................................. 11-16
Research findings ........................................................................................................................................ 17
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….18

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Introduction & Background
Formal education is the education that normally delivered by trained teachers in a particular

intentional way within a school, higher education or university. Education is the form of learning

through which skills, habits and knowledge of one group are transferred from one generation to

the other. It is indeed the most for one’s life because it help to move forward both professionally

and personally. Students are taught many subjects in their educational life. But they are not taught

all the subjects with an equal priority. We are forced to do some sort of science and mathematics.

In English-speaking schools, we are forced to take some sort of English language class. Then, if

we wanted to, you could optionally participate in sports, and the arts (e.g. music). An education

system where giving more importance in some subjects over others is known as hierarchy of

subjects in formal education. For example: Mathematics, physics or other technical subjects are

given more importance than Humanities/arts, music, drama in education sector. Even within the

Arts some subjects are given more priority than others. For instance, Drama, music, dance these

are given less important than Drawing. In our school we can see mathematics, physics, language

or other technical subjects are taught, everyday. These are the mandatory class for everyone in

school but very few classes on drawing, music; may be once/twice in a week.

There are very few school and college in Bangladesh which have the arrangement for music or

drama classes. These subjects are practiced as adjunct and discrete subjects not as core subjects.

Even most of the schools higher expert professors for the technical subjects or language but for

drama, music or dance higher local people to teach students. Because of this hierarchy of subjects

in curriculum, we are losing the pragmatic value of schooling. Science subjects are given more

importance because of its background for good technology and for a technological vision of

business. On the other hand, arts subjects offer few opportunities for good career. We all agree

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that making money is the most important career factor. Some professions are guaranteed that they

are going to make money such as: Psychiatrist, Physician, Dentist, Engineering Manager etc. As

schools obviously prioritize this consideration, that’s why they put those subjects in most

important list and give the others less important. That means actually schools are unless someone

is born to be a mathematician, scientist, then the school system will let the person down. But the

great thing is, it’s never too late to start over and learn about that subject we wish. So, we can start

learning our intended subjects.

Even sometimes students are allowed to higher education only if they have good score in the

mathematical / other technical subjects. May be they have the good score in arts/humanity but they

don’t get counted for higher studies. So, everywhere in the world the discrimination among the

subjects is always there and it affect the individual as well as the whole society. The most logical

and intellectual subjects ignite many passionate emotions (Vanessa, 2000). And these subjects

sometimes create many disorders among students. Some students face phobia about mathematics

but still they are forced to study those subjects as they are the most important subjects according

to the so called rank. The phobia of math creates the feeling of "sudden death". (Suzuki, 2009).

Usually people think that the person who choose to study arts/humanities are not that much

intelligent like the person who choose to study mathematics, language or technical subjects. And

only this kind of people are good in analytical things and can be the leader of anything. But we

forgot that an artist also need some analytical thinking for his creation. For example, a musician

need to understand the beats and need to analysis it to be a good musician that means though he is

creating something, he must need to do some mathematics; same thing goes for painter, though he

is painting from his imagination, he need to learn and have some knowledge about analytical things

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for his painting. So arts not only make artistic creator but innovators (Winner & Hetland, 2010,pp

29-32).

Through arts we express our worries or fears, hopes, dreams, feelings ultimately our humanity

(Fearon, 2015). Arts is the language of our emotions. We can express our thoughts through a

drawing/dance/ music. But analytical subjects don’t give us this scope to express ourselves. There

are many reasons for which the history of arts has fallen victim. Some reasons are shown for which

value of arts may be decreased such as: insufficient student numbers and insufficient examiners to

assess it (Breslin, 2016). As students are discouraged to study arts/humanity so it is obvious that

number of arts students will definitely decrease day by day. And as the demand of these subjects

is getting decreased gradually, the professionals for these subjects also getting declined. Now it

has become difficult to find the scholars of the subjects of arts drama, music etc.

Everyone children is talented to a certain degree and has tremendous talent but we are not all

exceptional. Talents are innate thing. We cannot hide them, we just need to encourage students in

order for them to grow and reach their full potential. If we say that education is not leaving room

for the creative types, then it may be wrong is wrong. What is wrong is a teacher who discourages

a student from doing what they love. Be that art, music, dance drama, reading, singing, playing

sport etc. (Lisa, 2013).

We are living in a modern age but our education system has not changed over 150- 200 years.

Almost everything has changed over time like our life style, food habit, habitats etc. Now we don’t

use the car which was used in 200 years ago. We use the modern version of the car but when it

comes about education we see, we are still following the same structure which was created in

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centuries ago. The whole world follows the same hierarchy of subjects in education system.

Education system has started with the start of industrialization but still we are creating

discrimination among subjects, among people who are studying different subjects, even in job

sector. We are ranking the subjects and giving some subjects more priority and some less priority.

And according to the subject giving someone more respect and neglecting others.

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Research questions
How do people evaluate the hierarchy of subjects in formal education?

How does it affect one’s sense of self –actualization?

How does it impede to bring out the actual talent of the students?

How does this demotivate students to be creative and learn something new?

How will the acclimation to the new system influence people?

What can be the peoples’ reaction towards this new system? Is it feasible in the context of

Bangladesh?

How might a change in the education system bring change in the society?

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Hypothesis

Education is the system that's supposed to develop our natural abilities and enable us to make our

way in the world. But hierarchy of subjects in education is stifling the individual talents and

abilities of too many students and killing their motivation to learn. From my research, I expect to

find that it will be better for students to learn their preferable subjects. It may be motivating for

them also. I think this will motivate them to be creative. I also expect that, it will help to bring out

the actual talent of the students and help to choose intended career rather than regular one. And all

these together will bring the betterment for the whole society also.

I also think that the people who study humanities/arts may feel embarrassed about their social

status in social circle. And it will be feasible in Bangladesh; at the beginning people can oppose

but in the long run they will appreciate it. As we are developing day by day so people’s hunger for

money will decrease and will give the more importance on the creative works which is for their

mental happiness.

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Methodology

Primary research:

For my primary research I have talked to random people about the matter and interviewed people

who have knowledge regarding the term. I have interviewed the Professor Sharif Uddin Ahmed,

Chairman, Department of History & Philosophy, North South University. I have also conducted

an online survey for general public and collected the responses.

Secondary research:

For the secondary research, I Went through the library resources of the university and collected

information from it and also went through My Athens resources, and used some database like

Project MUSE and JSTOR sources. I also surfed Google Scholars and read numerous reports,

books, articles, and journals about the topic.

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Data presentation & Analysis

As my report is mainly based on my primary research, I have conducted survey of 53

correspondents and from these responses I wanted to find out the view of general people about the

subject ranking system in our education system. I asked them few questions to know the actual

picture, among them 1 question was “why the system has not changed over 200 years”. To my

question, 32.1% said that people are afraid to welcome changes, and another 32.2% said that the

reason behind not changing the system is people’s mentality that the existing system is working

the best. There are some people who are always blaming the govt. for any problem of the country.

So when it comes to education system, here some people also blame the Govt. for not changing

the system & 20.8% said govt. did not changed it for the fear of losing future election. And rest of

15.1% response that the people who are studying the “most important” subjects are afraid to losing

their importance that’s why they don’t take any steps to change the whole system. This clearly

shows that people of the country know that there are some problems with our education system

but people are not trying to change because of some reasons. Here we also see that almost 65%

people’s mentality are same that they don’t want to change because they are stick to their mental

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set up. And as less percentage of people blame govt. for this so it can be changed by changing our

view against the system easily.

Another survey question was about the necessity of hierarchy in education system. Here, 30.2%

people choose it’s useful as it is the parameter for judging brilliant students. Another 34% said that

it is needed as practical/technical subjects are more important in life. But 20.8% thought that it

suppressing the creativity of the students. And more 15.1% also thought the same way that it

reduces student’s confidence specially who are interested in arts/ humanities. From first graph we

concluded that people’s mentality is the reason of not changing the system, here we can get clear

picture behind that mentality. Large portion of people, around 65% think that existing system is

the best one. Only 35% people realize the consequence of the existing system and its bad impact

on creative people. So, we need time to change that mentality, it can’t happen within the over-

night. From the beginning of the education students should taught that no subject is more important

or less important. Every subject should get the same priority and every student should have the

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access in every sector of education so that they can choose their desire subject to study as well as

for career path.

When I asked about the self-actualization about the arts/humanity, majority of people said that the

people who choose arts/humanity get embarrassed when they are asked about their

profession/social status, even they get humiliated by the people who study science/practical

subjects. The total percentage of these 2 option is almost 67% and individually for 1st option is

44% & for another one is around 23%. Again there are some people who said the people choose

to study arts get more social respect, the percentage is 22.6%; where 15.1% people responded that

hierarchy of subjects don’t have any impact on anyone’s life. According to their opinion people

don’t get respect on what they are studying or on their profession. May be they get respect

according to their activities. From this particular question and from the responses we can say that

ranking of subjects drag behind someone to be creative and to do something new. That means that

ranking suppressing the actual talent.

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In this question I asked the people that the existing system demotivate people or not. The large

portion of people, around 53% said that yes, people don’t get enough confidence to cultivate their

creative skills because of the hierarchy of subjects that is followed in all over the world. 11.3 %

people responded that because of technical subjects people don’t get enough time to do creative

stuffs like drawing, dancing and music etc. Very few people thought that there is no relation

between the rank of subjects and the creativity. The percentage of that portion is around 6%. But

again 30.2% people thought that ranking does not demotivate people, if someone is passionate

about something the person can manage to do so. A scientist, a doctor can also be an artist and

their professional life does not affect their passion. May be this is true for some people who can

manage to do both but the people who want to focus on one particular thing, is very difficult to do

different types of activities. Though according to majority of people ranking is not that much good,

and it kills the eagerness of creativity so, we can conclude that it actually demotivates people. This

research finding also matches to my secondary research where I found that some scholars said the

same thing that schools are destroying the student’s creative mind.

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When I asked people regarding the topic that we should change the system or not, people’s answers

are as follows: 54.7% people thought that every subject should get equal priority in the education

sector. And 32% people said that it will help to find the actual potentials of the student which

means that in total almost 87% people are thinking that we should not maintain this hierarchy in

subjects which will bring the betterment for the students as well as for the society which matches

my hypothesis. Though people have their old mentality still they want to change the system which

is actually a good sign for us. 1% people from 53 correspondents said that the change should be

there but we should choose it from childhood and we don’t need to study other subjects. But there

are some people, around 11.3%, who think that we need more professions in technical field to

make it developed country rather than in arts/humanities. We need scientists, technically advanced

people more to run the country rather than artists. An artist may create many amazing things

according to his/her imagination but in practical life it may not bring any change in the country.

The majority people’s opinion go with m hypothesis, as I thought that we should give the same

priority in all subjects because it makes the student more productive and efficient.

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When people are asked about the new system where no hierarchy maintained, can generate more

qualified generation or not. 24.5% people said that we will get actual talented people if there is no

ranking in subjects, which is the main purpose of education. 32.1% said that they will be more

productive and progressive if they get chance to do their desired job in life according to their

preferred subjects. 26.4% people thought that they will create new things and make the world

better place in there if no ranking followed in education system. But from some people’s

perspective it will reduce the practical and technical knowledge of the people which is not good

for the country like us, as we are still struggling to become the developed country. Only 1% people,

that means 2 people from 53 responses thought that if we encourage all people to be creative then

it will create a lazy generation who won’t be able to help in the betterment of the country. From

this opinion we can understand some people’s thinking about the person who is artist. Though

there is mixed opinion, still majority people think that the new system will create an innovative

nation in the long run if we give the same priority of every subject.

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Research Findings

My research findings match to my hypothesis. As I thought that people are unwilling to accept the

change and from my primary research I find that this is true and people are afraid to welcome

changes & think that existing system is the best one.

People who choose humanities/arts feel embarrassed & awkward when they are asked about their

study/profession in social circle. Though they did not do anything wrong still they feel shy to go

around people thinking that what may other say.

But good thing is that majority of people are supporting that we should change the existing

education system which will help to create an innovative and creative nation. This finding also

matches my hypothesis as I mentioned that priority of every subjects may bring betterment for the

person as well as for the society.

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Conclusions

If we change the system then we will get the creative and talented generation who will help to

develop the country. May be for now it will not be feasible in Bangladesh, but within few years

we will see that every person has degree, then what will be the parameter to choose the superior

and inferior. Then we will feel that we need some innovative, creative mind to make the

development of the country. So it will take time but as people are thinking about the issue so it is

possible to change the education system.

Not only Govt. but also educationist should come forward to change it & motivate students to

choose their desired subjects. We always look forward to govt. that it’s only their responsibility to

make any changes in society but we forget that it is us who can change the whole world by taking

some steps together.

Finally I suggest that guardian should listen to their children and help them to be creative. In our

country children’s opinion are given less important. Though it is one’s life, that person should

decide what will he/she study and we should make the environment according to their desire. And

we should not make any parameter to judge anyone’s intelligence. Everybody has different talents

and capabilities, so we should not rank such talents in a social hierarchy of human skills.

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References
Blake, L., (2013, June). Is academic hierarchy killing the creative? Independent. Retrieved

November 30, 2017, from http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-06-02/education/is-

academic-hierarchy-killing-the-creative-1717174282/

Breslin, T. (2016, November). Subject Hierarchies and the Purpose of Learning – Time to

press re-set. The BERA blog research matters. Retrieved November 30, 2017, from

https://www.bera.ac.uk/blog/subject-hierarchies-and-the-purpose-of-learning-time-to-press-re-set

Fearon, G. (2015, December). Creativity is a unique talent that cannot be so easily taught out of a

textbook’. Independent. Retrieved November 30, 2017, from

http://www.independent.co.uk/student/istudents/creativity-is-no-longer-valued-as-a-skill-why-

are-we-neglecting-the-arts-a6776686.html

Stuart, B. (2000, January). Math curse or math anxiety. Retrieved November 30, 2017, from

https://search.proquest.com/openview/daa5b651fd4933777c5ee371c6156e87/1?pq-

origsite=gscholar&cbl=32876

Suzuki, J. (2009, December). The Alliance: Mathematics and the Arts. The mathematics teacher.

Retrieved November 30, 2017, from

http://www.jstor.org/stable/20876621?Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=important

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&searchText=subjects&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3Ffacet_journal%3Dam91c

m5hbA%253D%253D%26amp%3Bfc%3Doff%26amp%3Bswp%3Don%26amp%3Bwc%3Doff

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Winner, E., & Hetland, L. (2010, August). Art for our Sake School Arts Classes Matter More

than Ever-But Not for the Reasons You Think. Arts Education Policy Review. Retrieved

November 30, 2017, from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3200/AEPR.109.5.29-

32?journalCode=vaep20

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 Appendix

i. Modified research proposal

ii. Modified questionnaire

iii. Annotated Bibliography

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