PRESENTED BY
GBOBO, VIVIAN FUBARA

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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCHOOL AND SOCIETY
ABSTRACT
This work therefore is concerned with the relationship between education and culture. It attempts to give a definition of the terms education and culture. It also gives the reader some sense of the reality that education and culture are intricately related and that culture itself is the social heredity of man and consists of all that a man requires to become a member of this society. It attempts to show that changes in education and culture must be relative
INTRODUCTION
Man as a member of the group or collectivity acts within the framework of pattern of behaviour which are familiar and unique to the group. They become binding on all members of the group, and each member has an intimate knowledge of the ways of his persons, the ways of acting have come to be referred to as culture. Culture is what distinguishes creatures or animals and one group from another. It is socially transmitted from one generation to another. Culture is what man inherits through being a member of a particular society or group social heritage (Njama-Abang 2006).
There appear to be many conception of culture, according to the way anthropologist, sociologist and other social scientist use the concept. To some culture is termed behaviour, but to others it appears not to be behaviour at all, but an abstraction from behaviour. From another perspective, culture according to some anthropologists exist only in the mind, to others it consist of observable things and events in the external world. According to Baldrige (1975), when sociologists think of culture they are more concerned with culture as knowledge and belief system.
A classical definition of culture was by Edward B. Tylor, who conceives of culture as “that complex whole which include knowledge, belief, art, morals, law custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of a society” (Tylor, 1971). Culture, according to Tylor is the name of all things and events peculiar to the human species. However, since the time of Tylor the conception and definition of culture have multiplied and varied, and even extended to include the idea of culture as an abstraction.
On a general note, Njama-Abang (2006) opined that culture is everything acquired by human being that is not physically (or biologically) inherited. It embraces all modes of thought and behaviour that are handed down by communicative interaction that is what we learn from others through speech, gesture and example (as opposed to what we acquired through heredity). Culture is binding usually taken for granted as the only possible way of acting and, is highly valued by member as something, which is right and desirable.
The concept of culture is used in various ways with different meanings. These usages are either colloquial or scientific. In colloquial terms, culture can be used to indicate whether someone has or does not have “good manners” or behaviour. For instance when quarrelling, Mr. X may tell Mr. Z that he is not cultured or has lit culture. This means that Mr. Z is unrefined. This usage may carry some scientific meaning behind it if Messrs X and Z come from the same cultural system. That is to mean that anyone who is not behaving as expected, of him/her has not acquired the behaviour expected of him as a member of a particular society. In scientific usage, culture is often defined in blanket terms as "the total way of life" of a people. More specifically culture is defined as the complex whole of man's acquisition of knowledge, morals, belief, art, custom, technology, etc, which are shared and transmitted from generation to generation.
Culture is the social heredity of man (Itedjere, (1996) in Asuquo, et al 2010). The child, a biological being is born into a society with hereditary traits from his parents. These equips him with a level of mental superiority which enables him to get aquatinted with and gain acquisition of the language, technology, laws, beliefs, customs, arts, habits etc of his people. Itedjere (1996) in Asuquo et al (2010) thus concludes that .a child is born with both biological and social heredity. Social heredity being everything that is socially learned. The child learns its culture in the process of growing up."After birth he comes in contact with a variety of experiences within his environment-and consequently learns to cope and adjust accordingly through the process of socialization. Through this process the child becomes a member of a society. In this regard, he becomes conscious and aware of the values of the culture of his society and is able to react to stimuli in his environment.
Linton (1947) reported in Asuquo et al (2010) defined culture as the configuration of learned behaviour and the results of behaviour whose component elements are shared and transmitted' by- the - members of a particular society. Culture is commonly defined as the total way of life of a people. It consists of societal norms, customs, tradition and beliefs, behaviour, dress, language, work, way of living interpersonal network, attitudes to life, the focus of group loyalties and the perception of the world by the people (Otedola and Ademola, 1985 in Asuquo et al (2010)). Culture plays an important role in shaping our attitudes and developing our interests. Otite and Ogionwo (1978) point out more specifically that culture constitutes the complex whole of man's acquisition of knowledge, morals, beliefs, arts, custom, technology etc which are shared and transmitted from one generation to another. In another definition, (Eno, 1978) states that culture is the way of life if a people which signifies the social heritage of a particular group of people. He notes that the social heritage of man signifies his knowledge and experiences and habits, which are socially transmitted and handed down from generation to generation through social participation and education.
Generally, an individual receives culture as his social heritage. The social heritage of culture may be divided into two, different types being material and non-material culture. Material, culture relates to overt or explicit aspects of society (Otite and Ogionwu, 1981). It consists of man-made things such as products of industry for example material outfit of man, implements, weapons fete, technology for example bridges, computers etc; arts, example handicrafts etc. Itedjere (1996) in Asuquo et al (2010) points out however that some 'material culture is more durable than others. It specifically consists of objects which people have learned to make and use to satisfy their needs in society. It stems from non-material culture and only makes 'sense when associated with it for example "ideas" which is non-material transforms into technology which is material. It is therefore the means through which man expresses his non-material culture. Non-material culture is not visible. Examples are language, ideas, customs, knowledge, philosophy, morals, motivations, attitudes, values and habits shared and transmitted in a society. In line with this Otite and Ogionwo (1981) point out that culture is an abstraction and as a result cannot be observed directly. People understand culture through the behaviour of other people, which manifests on their artifacts and arts forms.
Culture is not a personal thing, thus it is continuous. Anthropologists have long agreed that culture is used in reference to society or group of societies. There can be no culture without a society. Otite and Ogionwo (1981) point thus that culture cannot die with the death of an individual or a group of individuals, except of bourse in the event of such natural disasters, as earthquake or flood under which circumstances some aspects of the culture could be lost. Even in such instances where a whole race could be exterminated, there is still the possibility of materials and technology of the affected group being dug up at a future date and the buried culture of society restructured: Consequently, its useful aspects are integrated into other culture for posterity. Characteristically, culture is learned, a conceptualization of ideals, norms, or patterns of Behaviour of a people Culture is gratifying and adaptive as well as integrative (Itedjere, 1996 in Asuquo et al (2010)). In view of its nature, could one thus describe culture as being static or the individuals/groups who use culture as being enslaved to their habitat? In response to this sociologists point out that values which every given community regard as its culture are constantly interacting with each other. This results in new sets of individuals or groups of persons (i.e. the transformation of individuals or groups of persons). It also results the emergence of new elements in the system while old one systematically drop out (Peil, 1978). The past, present and the, future cultures of a society are continuously and constantly interacting with each one another. This relationship subsequently brings about one form of adjustment or the other in a people's culture.