Virtues – The Centre of Quality Education System – For Successful Integration in the International Society

Abstract

In times of crisis, speaking about variability, uncertainty and even anxiety becomes part of our everyday lives. School remains one of the few tangible centres of modern society in the EU which enjoys (judging by the results of public opinion surveys) a relatively high level of confidence. This trust is attributed to the significant impact school has on the lives of individuals and on the further development of society towards successful EU integration. A high quality education system is at the centre of education policies. The (internationally comparable) achievements of learners and the effectiveness of public spending are at the heart of the quality of the education system debate. This paper is based on the thesis that schools develop the moral and intellectual excellence of individuals. In the modern complex society, also often referred to as ‘risk society’, goals are stated as being increasingly important. In the area of education, it is crucial to understand the competencies that individuals need to achieve in moral and intellectual excellence, especially for a successful integration into society and the labour market. Despite varying views on competencies needed for the 21st century, all definitions highlight ethical issues, values and virtues. The focus on the aforementioned raises several questions for educators; among which is the question of whether it is even possible to teach virtues and how to define which virtues are important. This paper points to the urgency of learning virtues and outlines some of them. Defining virtues in education is one of the key tasks in realising the meaning of education, and subsequently, in the development of moral and intellectual excellence of the individual.