School is a special institution, created to serve specific social needs. It, therefore, not only gets aims and objectives from society but its contents and methods are also determined in accordance with the activities, carried on in society, for which the school functions.
But society is dynamic and changes very frequently. It is, therefore, essential that the character and nature of education, imparted in the school, also change according to the needs and developments of the society.
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A school is not merely a place of formal learning, but also a place of social learning. It is a social unit and an integral part of the total organisation of society.
In the words of professor K.G. Saiyidain: “A people’s school must obviously be based on the people s needs and problems. Its curriculum should be an epitome of their life. Its method of work must approximate to theirs. It should reflect all that is significant and characteristics in the life of the community in its natural setting. ”
It is, therefore, that school education is correlated with the social environment of children. A good society is the product of a good school system and a good school system is the product of a good society. So there must be intimate relationships between the school and the society.
It should, however, be noted that in a big country like India, every community is inter-related with other communities and is a part of the large community, known as nation.
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The school, therefore, should adopt its educational programme in a way that it should render specific service to the local community and also meet the needs of the large community or nation, as a whole.
In other words, the school should adopt its cultural and social activities to its regional and national needs.