The Idea of the “Banking Concept in Education”

The Banking Concept in Education is a concept in philosophy originally explored by Brazilian philosopher Paulo Freire in his 1968 book “Pedagogy of the Oppressed.” The “banking” concept of education is a method of teaching and learning where the students simply store the information relayed to them by the teacher. In a “banking” type of environment, a classroom is structured in a way that the primary duty of students is to remember and accurately recall the information provided by the instructor. They are not asked to participate in any other way, and simply absorb the information. In this type of approach, the world is seen as static and unchangeable, and students are simply supposed to fit into it as it is. The prevalence of the banking concept within most educational systems prevents students from developing skills that make themselves fair-minded critical thinkers and continues to promote long-standing biases within society.

The world is seen as static and unchangeable, and students are simply supposed to fit into it as it is.

In contrast to the Banking Concept in Education, Freire proposes the Problem Solving Method in Education. This method is concerned with the task of “presenting reality as it truly is” and not glossing over the truth. Additionally, it holds two-way learning as essential in all education and treats dialogue as a vital part to successful education. The Problem Solving Method in Education allows students to become critical thinkers, emphasizes scholarly inquiry and fosters action upon reality. Most importantly, the Problem Solving Method in education allows students the opportunity to break free of the oppressive, authoritarian nature of the traditional education dynamic.