International Referred Research Journal,September ,2011,ISSN-0975-3486, RNI: RAJBIL 2009/30097, VOL-II *ISSUE 24

Research PaperPolitical Science

Mahatma Gandhi's Thoughts on Education

September, 2011

* Dr.Shubhangi Dinesh Rathi

* Assot. Prof. H.O.D. Political Science Smt. P.K. Kotecha Mahila Maha. Bhusawal Jalgaon A B S T R A C T
Education was one of the several planks of his larger civilization agenda. In which the independence of India was the main thrust. Gandhi's educational ideals were thus meant to transform backward, illiterate, exploited, desperately poor peasants into self-confident and selfrespecting citizens of a new community and nation. So in this paper discuss on Mahatma Gandhi's thoughts on education & his policy.

Introduction: Gandhi was elitist and most practical of our major educational thinkers of this century. Gandhi's idea of culture can be summed up in his reply of to Rabindranath Tagore: "I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. I refuse to live in other people's houses as an interloper, a beggar or a slave," (Young India 1-6-21) Objectives: * To understand Gandhiji's view on Education * To know Mahatma Gandhi's educational structure & philosophy * To make awareness among the peopole Wardha Conference: The Wardha conference was held on 22nd and 23rd October 1937 under the auspices of the Marwari Education Society at Wardha. Jamnalal Bajaj was the President of this Society. Which held the conference to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of the society and of the Marwari High School of Wardha? The idea was to give Gandhi a national platform to launch his ideas of education. Gandhi was the President of the conference. In this conference well-known educationists and ministers B. G. Kher, Premier of Bombay Presidency, Zakir Hussain, Principal of Jamia Millia, Delhi, P. Subbarayan, former Minister for Education, Madras, Viswanath Das, former Minister for Education, Orissa, Ravishankar Shukla, former Minister Educationa Minister, Central Provinces, Jamnalal Bajaj, J. C. Kumarappa, Kakasaheb Kalelkar, and a number of other eminent educationists and associates of Gandhi were attended. Educational Agenda: Most of Gandhi's important writings on education have been compiled and edited in two books. Those books are Basic Education (1951) and Towards New Education (1953). Those are written by Bharatan
R E S E A R C H A N A L Y S I S A

Kumarappa. These writings are mostly miscellaneous, consisting of letters, speeches, extracts from books. The most significant single document in all of Gandhi's writings on education is probably the Inaugural Address that he delivered at the Wardha Conference of 1937. This is known as philosophy of education. The Agenda, formulated by Gandhi, contained four propositions, which may be summarized as follows: 1. The present system of education does not meet the requirements of the country. 2. The course of primary education should be extended at least to seven years and should include the general knowledge gained up to the matriculation standard, less English and plus a substantial vocation. 3. For the all-round development of boys and girls all training should as far as possible is given through a profit-yielding vocation. 4. Higher education should be left to private enterprise and should be to meet national requirements whether in the various industries, technical arts, bellesletters or fine arts (Varkay 3-4). At the conclusion of the conference, four Resolutions were adopted. These had been proposed by a committee, which worked through the night, under the Chairmanship of Zakir Hussain. The Resolutions were: 1. Free and compulsory education is provided for seven years on a nation-wide scale. 2. The medium of instruction is the mother-tongue. 3. The process of education should centre on some form of manual and productive work.... 4. System of education be gradually able to cover the remuneration of the teachers (ibid 5-6). Syllabus formed by Committee: Afterwards a committee was formed to design a suitable syllabus and to submit its report to Gandhi. This report was submitted in December 1937. Thereafter, a second Report was published in 1938, with detailed clarifications and replies to objections raised against
N D E V A L U A T I O N

22

International Referred Research Journal,September ,2011,ISSN-0975-3486, RNI: RAJBIL 2009/30097, VOL-II *ISSUE 24

the first Report. This second Report contained detailed syllabi for three subjects, or crafts as Gandhi would have preferred to call them: agriculture, spinning, and weaving. Of course, we need to remember that Gandhi's views were grounded in a larger perspective which might be termed anti-industrial, if not anti-modern. As Kumarappa puts it, Gandhi "was convinced that machine civilization ... brought enslavement and exploitation of vast sections of a nation and of industrially backward peoples" (Basic Education iv). Gandhi's Educational Philosophy: Gandhi's educational philosophy as outlined above, reducing them to the following cardinal postulates: * Education means all round development; it is best obtained through action. * Education has to be through a craft, not merely through books and abstractions. * The basis of true education is character building; an educated person should become an ideal citizen. * Education should be self-supporting as far as possible and also equip the pupil to better his own economic conditions. * Education should be based on non-violence and should work for communal harmony. * The medium of instruction should be the mothertongue, not English. * Primary education should be free and compulsory for all children and should last for at least seven years. * All educational planning should be undertaken with the rural Indian masses in mind; in other words, education should not be elitist, but popular in its character.

Nature of Gandhiji's Educational System: Gandhi's proposal intended to stand the education system on its head. The social philosophy and the curriculum of what he called 'basic education' thus favored the child belonging to the lowest stratum of society. In such a way it implied a programmed of social transformation. It sought to alter the symbolic meaning of 'education' and to change the established structure of opportunities for education. He was also of the opinion that manual work should not be seen as something inferior to mental work. He felt that the work of the craftsman or labourer should be the ideal model for the 'good life'. Schools which were based around productive work where that work was for the benefit of all were, therefore, carrying out education of the whole person - mind, body and spirit. Conclusion: Lastly we can conclude that, Gandhi's basic education was perception of an ideal society consisting of small, self-reliant communities with his ideal citizen being an industrious, self-respecting and generous individual living in a small cooperative community. We can draw out a number of useful pointers in it. Gandhi's insistence on autonomy and self-regulation is reflected in the ethos of informal education. Gandhi's conception of basic education was concerned with learning that was generated within everyday life which is the basis on which informal educators work. It was also an education focused on the individual but reliant on cooperation between individuals. There is also a familiar picture of the relationships between educators and learners. It was an education that aimed at educating the whole person, rather than concentrating on one aspect. It was a highly moral activity.

R E F E R E N C E
1. Gandhi M. K. (1951) Basic Education: Bharatan Kumarappa, ed.: Navjivan publication, Ahmadabad 2. Gandhi M. K (1984) Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule: 1909; Navjivan publication, Ahmadabad 3. Gandhi M. K (1953) Towards New Education: Bharatan Kumarappa, ed. : Navjivan publication, Ahmadabad 4. Varkey, C.J. (1940) The Wardha Scheme of Education: An Exposition and Examination; Oxford University Press,Madras

23

I S

I O