What does the term deschooling refer to?

• A. The belief that schools and other learning institutions are not capable of providing the best possible education.
• B. The belief that schools offer the best possible education.
• C. A policy of increasing school hours.
• D. A movement to replace all schools with online platforms.

Answer: (A)

Deschooling is a critique of formal education that argues schools and other learning institutions are not the best way to provide all the education people need. It goes beyond just blaming schools; it says learning happens everywhere—in families, communities, workplaces, and through informal networks—so education shouldn’t be organized around a single institution or a fixed set of rules. This idea, popularized by Ivan Illich, questions the idea that schooling is the sole or superior path to knowledge and skills and suggests alternatives like homeschooling, community-based learning, apprenticeships, and self-directed learning. The core point is that relying on schools as the primary source of education can reinforce inequalities and limit personal growth, so a more flexible, varied approach to learning is encouraged.