Challenging the ‘Banking’ Concept of Education

Paulo Freire’s quote from “The ‘Banking’ Concept of Education” is not only thought-provoking but also profoundly insightful. He states “The teacher
presents himself to his students as their necessary opposite; by
considering their ignorance absolute, he justifies his own existence.
The students, alienated like the slave in the Hegelian dialectic, accept
their ignorance as justifying the teacher’s existence — but unlike the
slave, they never discover that they educate the teacher.” In this passage, Freire captures the true nature of the traditional educational model, where teachers are seen as the “depositors” of knowledge and students as passive recipients. What makes this quote particularly interesting is its examination of the power dynamics within education. Freire highlights how teachers often present themselves as the “necessary opposite” of their students, emphasizing their own knowledge while considering the student’s ignorance as “absolute”. To view someone’s ignorance as absolute means to see their lack of knowledge or understanding as complete and unchangeable. It’s essentially considering that the person knows nothing about a particular subject or topic and can never learn or improve their understanding. When someone’s ignorance is regarded as absolute, there is no room for growth or development in their knowledge or awareness in the eyes of the observer. This portrayal of teachers as all-knowing authority figures serves to justify their role in the educational system. It’s a depiction that has been deeply ingrained in our educational traditions for centuries. Moreover, Freire’s assertion that students have the potential to educate the teacher. By challenging the traditional model and encouraging students to become active participants in their own learning, Freire suggests that education can be a reciprocal process where both teachers and students grow and evolve together. This quote challenges us to rethink the fundamental dynamics of education and consider how we can move beyond the “banking” concept towards a more empowering and transformative educational model. It serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of student autonomy and the potential for education to be a mutual journey of discovery and growth.