Exploring optimal education system: Insights from Ancient Greek philosophy

Abstract

Purpose: The overriding prominence of any education system invigorates learners to become more independent, curious, open-minded, and think freely. Over the centuries education philosophy has evolved throughout the world. Various concepts, models and ideologies have been developed and tested. These educational principles have shaped educators, education, society and more importantly teaching and learning methods. The current study is to illustrate the optimal education system, drawing from the philosophies of ancient Greeks. The study addresses the research question: How can ancient Greek philosophies be utilised to create the best education system in modern world? Methodology: The research was conducted using systematic literature reviews. The sources that are published in English are identified using scholarly academic journals. By comprehending the historical value of some old literature, this research also makes use of it. Findings: The optimal education system would nurture an individual's passion for learning and emphasise the significance of individual moral development and wellbeing of the community. Ancient Greeks viewed philosophy as a means to better the individual and the community. Additionally, the ideal education system would highlight the significance of character formation and ethics. Some of the principles of Ancient Greek philosophy underpins one of the best educational systems in the world in relation to character building and create a better and fair society. An example of this is the Socratic Method. The Socratic Method is a method of instruction based on asking questions. Conclusion: The ancient Greeks believed that education should be based on philosophical principles and the purpose of education to help children become good people. The findings conclude that the current education system could incorporate some of the core values from ancient Greek education philosophy to better fulfil its purpose to provide improved moral education to the learners. Study originality: The study contributes to the body of knowledge by incorporating some of the key principles of Greek Education system especially, the Socratic Method and character education into modern education practices. This approach offers a road map for moral development of learners and the wellbeing of the community. The originality of this study lies in this approach which provides a unique perspective for assessing and restructuring current educational system.