EDUCATION IN EMERGING INDIAN SOCIETY - 1 Understanding Education

“Education is not a preparation for life but life itself!”- John Dewey

MEANING & NATURE OF EDUCATION By education, I mean an all round drawing

out of the best in the child. – M.K. Gandhi

Education is the manifestation of divine perfection already existing in man.

– Swami Vivekananda

Education is helping the growing soul to draw out what is in itself. – Sri Aurobindo

Education is fundamental to our all round development – material & spiritual. It is a unique investment in the present & the future.

- NPE(1986)

INDIAN CONCEPT OF EDUCATION “That is education that

emancipates..” Education fails if it doesn’t

cultivate the art of life. Tagore dreams of freedom where

“the mind is without fear & the head is held high”

Good education enables a person to understand other people, their thinking & action.

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION Different philosophies of education as: Idealism – Plato Realism – Locke Naturalism – Rousseau Pragmatism – John Dewey(USA) – Democracy

& Education (1916)

IDEALISM Stress on spiritual

development & self- realization

Eternal ideals & values Truth, Goodness & Beauty Cultivation of moral

values Values are inherent in

individual

REALISM Concerned with world as here &

now. Senses are the doors to

knowledge. Stress on knowledge of society,

science, nature, vocation etc. Focus on first hand experience. Locke, the founder of

comprehensive realism, emphasizes role of immediate experience & sense perception.

NATURALISM Child- centered education. Stress on direct experience with

nature without the interference of the teacher or society.

Aims to understand the nature of child & provide the opportunities accordingly.

Advocates play-way method in earlier stages. Don’t believe in rigidity of time-table. Teacher’s role as a facilitator & observer. The child learns through his free choice. Rousseau wrote a book Emile

IDEALISM VS. PRAGMATISM

PRAGMATISM Stress on utilitarian aspect of knowledge &

experiences. Make the child a useful citizen of the society. To a pragmatist, truth is that which works, it

is not absolute. Dewey - a great exponent of Pragmatism The project method is the contribution of

Pragmatism. In spirit, Pragmatism is naturalistic; in

method it is scientific & practical; & in purpose it is social & human.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF INDIAN THINKERS TO EDUCATION Mahatma Gandhi Rabindra Nath Tagore Sri Aurobindo

MAHATMA GANDHI Best known

contribution → NAI-TALIM or Basic Education

Education must begin with parents & community.

Stress on “Learning by doing”

Three main centers → craft work, natural environment & social environment.

RABINDRA NATH TAGORE Ideas similar to Rousseau. Object of education →

freedom of mind. Emphasized the activity

method. Nobel Prize in 1913 Shantiniketan in 1901,

converted into university in 1921

SRI AUROBINDO “The first principle of true teaching is that

nothing can be taught. The teacher is not an instructor or task

master, he is a helper & a guide. His business is to suggest & not to impose”

AIMS OF EDUCATION

CLASSIFICATION OF AIMS Acquiring knowledge Character formation Vocational Aim Overall development Aim Leisure Aim

CONTEMPORARY AIMS OF EDUCATION Education Commission (1964-66)

recommends: Increasing productivity Social & National Integration Modernization Cultivation of social, moral & spiritual values.

CONTEMPORARY AIMS OF EDUCATION NPE 1986 recommends: 10+2+3 structure for entire nation National Curriculum Framework Ten core components to be studied by every

child: History of India’s freedom movement Constitutional obligations Small family norm Scientific temper Gender equality Environment protection National identity etc.

THE NEED FOR A NEW APPROACH The NPE states that there are moments in

history when new direction has to be given to an age old process.

That moment is today. This is age of ‘explosion of knowledge’,

‘technological revolution’ & ‘multiple alternatives’

Education must become vibrant & dynamic.

EVOLUTION OF SOCIETY Type of Society

Salient Features

Needs Nature of learning

Pace of learning

Primitive/ Hunting – Gathering

Erratic, Nomadic, Instinctive

Primary Accidental, Irregular

Very slow & disorganized

Agricultural

Settled, Inquisitive, Patterned

Limited Observation based, Cooperative

Slow

Industrial Mechanical, Competitive Urbanized,

TechnicalEver- widening

Experimental

Fast

Post Industrial

Knowledge based

Global/ local/ Individual

InteractiveFlexibleLiberal

Very fast

Components of

Past Present Future

Goals/Aims God realizationSelf realization

Gainful employment

Self development

Teachers Next to GodRigidAuthoritarianFull of wisdom

One among othersFlexibleSenior in age

Younger ones

Students DisciplinedObedientLoyal

Less formal InformalAnyone can be a student

Schools Gurukul SchoolCollege

HomeAnywhere

TLM Hand-written DTP EbookVirtual book

Teaching/Learning

ResidentialLife oriented

Curriculum centered

Governed by Learner

Evaluation Informal/Formal

Continuous Self-evaluation

CHANGING DIMENSIONS OF EDUCATION Computer Assisted Instruction Distance Learning Online Learning Human Rights Education De-schooling society Gyan Darshan Special Education Life-long education

UNESCO REPORT : FOUR PILLARS OF EDUCATION Learning to Do Learning to Be Learning to Learn Learning to Live

with others

LEARNING AS

Systematic Rational Empirical Experimental Objective Logistic

Individual Creative Novel Enlightening Aesthetic Joyful Emotive Expressive

Science Art

ROLE OF TEACHERPeriod Role of TeacherAncient Authoritative, Parental,

Personal, Reflective, Perspective, Guiding

Medieval Dogmatic, Ritualistic, Disciplinarian, Metaphysical, Superintendant

Modern Analytic, Impersonal, Suggestive, Associative/ Friendly, Helping, Competent, Specialized

Post-modern Speculative, Participatory, Collaborative, Sensitive to individual needs

INTRODUCTION Vedic Era : 3000 BC to 500 BC Buddhist Era : 500 BC to 1200 AD Muslim Era : 1200 AD to 1700 AD British Era : 1800 AD to 1947 Post Independence : 1947 onwards

VEDIC ERA - GURUKULAS Gurukulas: The abodes of saints/sages

served as centers of learning. Pupil was known as ‘antewasi’

VEDIC ERA- UPNAYAN CEREMONY

VEDIC ERA Curriculum included grammar, rhetoric,

astrology, logic, nirukti, kalp etc. Methods of teaching – Oral and ‘Chintan’

(thinking) Even women like Sita, Ganga, Apala Ghosh

were educated Yoga, meditation, yagna, a disciplined &

celibate life were the key components.

BUDDHIST ERA In post-Vedic age, there were problems like

caste bias, excessive yagnas, violence, rigidity etc.

Gautam Buddha propounded a new philosophy of life & education – Buddhism.

Monasteries became center of learning.

PABBAJJA CEREMONY Pabbajja means ‘going out’ (of worldly

relationships) Budhham Sharanam Gachhami Dharmam Sharanam Gachhami Sangham Sharanam Gachhami

UP SAMPADA CEREMONY After 12 years of education, ceremony was

performed to declare him a complete monk.

BUDDHIST ERA Two types of curriculum – for monks & for

common people. Subjects like Vinaya, Dhamma & Suttant in first, Subjects like spinning, weaving, printing, medicine etc. in other.

Women were admitted later but with many restrictions.

Propagated to Sri Lanka, China, Afghanistan, Thailand, Combodia, Veitnam, Japan etc.

FAMOUS CENTERS OF LEARNING Taxila Nalanda Vallabhi Vikramshila

TAXILA Ancient city, now in

Pakistan Two types of curriculum –

literary & scientific Literary – Buddhist

education Scientific – 18 shilps,

ayurveda, commerce etc.

Alumni like Panini, Jeevak & Kautilya.

NALANDA 60 km from Patna Acharya Nagarjuna

Dev Many famous rulers,

foreigners etc. received their education

Huge building, fully equipped large hostels, 10,000 students, 1500 teachers, free education.

VALLABHI Kathiawad (Gujarat) Tsang has described 100 Maths there. Subjects like religion, economics, political

science, medicine etc.

VIKRAMSHILA Curriculum –

Buddhism, Grammar, Philosophy, Logic, Astrology etc.

Many Pali/Sanskrit books translated into Tibetan

Deepshankar – famous teacher

Destroyed by Bakhtyar Khilji

OTHER CENTERS At Kashi, Ujjayini, Amravati, Mithila,

Odantpuri, Kanchi etc. Foreigners like Megasthanes, Strabo, Huein

Tsang, Marco Polo, Ibn Batuta etc. praised the ideals, principals & philosophy of Indian system of education

MEDIEVAL ERA Invasion by Muslim dynasties like Slave,

Khilji, Tuglaq, Lodi, Mughal dynasty Rulers like Bakhtyar, Ghazni, Aurangzeb

destroyed the old systems & built Maktabs & Madarsas

Persian & Arabic literature flourished Education was at the mercy of rulers Education was religious & revolved around

holy Quran

BISMILLAH CEREMONY Repeat verses of Quran or say ‘Bismillah’ Ceremony was held when child was 4 years,

4 months, 4 days old.

MEDIEVAL ERA Maktabs imparted elementary education,

Madarsas were for higher education. Curriculum – Holy Quran, Islamic history &

law, literature, Unani medicine etc. Women education was poor, there was

purdah sytem & severe restrictions on women.

Few women like Razia Sultan, Noor Jahan, Mumtaz mahal etc. did manage to get higher education

Military training played a very important role Jaunpur – important center for learning.

Known as “Shiraz-e-Hind”

THE CHARTER OF 1813 Paved the way for British education in India Created bitter “Occidental-oriental

controversy” Orientals like Warren Hastings, H.T. Princep,

Lord Minto, H.H. Wilson etc. favoured Indian literature in Indian languages

Occidentals like Lord Macaulay ridiculed Indian system, literature & languages (in famous Macaulays Minutes)

Downward filtration theory → Only elite Indian class will be educated, & masses will follow elite.

WOOD’S DESPATCH OF 1854 Charles Wood was the prime

architect. Regarded as ‘Magna Carta’ of

Indian Education. Most important document of

Indian education policy, which had far reaching impact.

A new era in education began with this

WOOD’S DESPATCH OF 1854 Aim of education → useful for government The Curriculum → Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian,

English, Western Literature, Science & Law Medium → English, other Indian languages Dept. of Public Instructions in every state University Education at Calcutta & Bombay Graded Education System of Grant-in-aid Teachers Training Women education, Vocational education

THE INDIAN EDUCATION COMMISSION, 1882 Primary Education → Recommended Mother

tongue medium & Training of teachers Secondary Education → English medium,

general/vocational courses, Grant-in-aid system

First ever commission to look into educational problems

Also known as “Hunter Commission” under William Hunter

INDIAN UNIVERSITIES ACT 1904 Universities should provide teaching. Should

not be merely examining bodies Number of members, their tenure fixed Syndicate, the executive power of university Role & power of Senate.

“Swadeshi” movement motivated Gopal Krishna Gokhale & like to initiate reforms in education.

But first world war, 1914 slowed it down

EDUCATION UNDER DIARCHYHartog Committee submitted a report on

Primary education 1929: University education was progressing at the

cost of primary education. Lack of transport to schools Superstitious beliefs Lack of proper inspection

SERGEANT REPORT, 1944 Compulsory education for 6-14yrs. Pre-primary education High school divided in two parts – Literary &

Vocational Literary – Mother tongue, English, History,

Eco, Music etc. Vocational – Applied science, engineering,

short hand etc. Set up UGC Improvement of teacher’s economic

condition

BASIC EDUCATION OR NAI TALEEM Proposed by Gandhi Also known as ‘Wardha Scheme’ Education through handicraft –

weaving/spinning/carpentry/pottery etc. Mother tongue as medium Child centered, flexible curriculum Other subjects like

Science/Mathematics/Social Studies/Painting/Music/Agriculture etc.

1 year/2 year training courses for teachers