I often contrast classical Christian education’s goals with those of Modern education. An aspect of differing educational goals was clearly observed on TVO’s Agenda during a panel discussion about a potential voucher system for Ontario. The secularists measured the outcomes of education narrowly, as academic achievement and its counterpart university acceptance rates. The Christians proposed expanding the outcomes of education in accordance with the Education Act to include becoming a good citizen who benefited society. It is interesting to observe how far education has devolved to nothing more than test scores. Luke 6:40 says in the NIV, “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.” You know, I don’t think Jesus is referring to test scores.
Do modern educators not know that the 14,000+ hours of education from Kindergarten to grade 12 actually forms humans who will either have strong marriages or not, be generous providers and givers or not, volunteer to make their communities better or not, and love and serve the Lord Jesus Christ with an increasing passion and resolve or not? As Christians, we know that the great quest of sanctification is to experience that pleasure in the doing of good because our affections have been directed over many years in the right direction through our education. The world doesn’t even believe there is objective good, truth and beauty to love so they are left with grades and university acceptance rates how sad!
