Arab Educational Information Network

The discussion was a attempt to construct a theoretical framework of freedom in education that depends on the analysis of the concept of freedom. This analysis treated, firstly, the implications of freedom in education with respect to its conditions, restrictions and value in education. Some conclusions can be derived as follows. Firstly, with respect to conditions of freedom, (A) it has been argued that non-interference with learners’ choices and decisions is a necessary condition for learners to exercise their freedom in education to gain benefit from its value. However, interference is not justifiable only for the prevention of license on others, which is, of course, an important exception. (B) it has been argued that the availability of making free choice and decisions is a necessary condition for learners to have freedom enabling them to acquire benefit from its value in education. But it is completely unrealistic to suppose that children are ever, as a matter of fact, free to do what they like simply because of the inherent decency and good sense of all concerned. The practical choice is never between simply doing as one likes and being constrained; it is rather between being subject to different types of constraint. Secondly, with respect to the value of freedom in education for learners, it was seen that: 1) happiness is not the only aim of freedom in education when learners are allowed to do what they want. Happiness is only a product of being free to do what they are interested in; 2) autonomy, responsibility and creativity are valuable educational aims. Moreover, the current discussion noted that freedom is a necessary condition to achieve these aims. (Published abstract)