“Those who
educate children well are more to be honoured than they who produce them; for
these only gave them life, those arts of living well.” –Aristotle
_________________________________________________________________________________
Education is the
foremost among the five basic needs of human beings –bread, clothing, shelter,
education [itself] and medical aid. Besides being an essential condition of
continuity of existence, it can be the only means of man’s development,
achievement and attaining the goal.
In his primitive
stage on the earth it was due to man’s self-realization based education that he
learnt about Ahimsa –an eternal value
permanently present in his nature1, and through its constant
development he kept pace towards securing existence and making progress. Even
today progress is possible only through multifaceted lifelong education
process; making this process conducive in prevailing situations of space and
time.
Hence, education
plays a vital role in man’s life. Recognizing its importance in life Kautilya –a great scholar, statesman and professor of
politics and economics at the Takshila University, one of the
oldest known universities in the world in ancient times, declares it to
be the best friend and says
further:
“An
educated person is respected everywhere and education beats the beauty and the
youth.”2
Undoubtedly,
it
is more important in making man’s life meaningful and worthy in comparison to
any other available means and it is, to reiterate, indispensable for the
complete development of man. In the absence of education the state of human
life could be equated to that of an animal.
The following Shloka from the Chanakyaniti, while signifying the importance and inevitability of
education in man’s life and even declaring those parents to be the greatest
enemy of children who do not arrange for their proper education, categorically,
divulges the consequences to be faced by them in the absence of education:
“Mata Shatru Pita Vairi Yen Balo Na Pathitah,
Na Shobhate Sabha Madhye Hans Madhye Vako Yatha”3
[Meaning thereby: The parent who does not
facilitate and guide their child for studies is like the greatest enemy of the
child. The presence of an uneducated person in the company of educated people
is like a goose in the company of swans.]
Undoubtedly, in the absence of education a man
is not a human being in the real sense; he is merely of the name and there is
no place for him among those who are educated. An ordinary one, who never gets
opportunity of attending a school and is deprived completely from the formal
education, may be found saying: there is
no future without education.
Not only this, words like uncivilized,
impractical and directionless are used about those uneducated. An uneducated is
declared a body without a soul. Vishnugupta Chanakya has described:
“The life of an uneducated man is as useless as the tail of a dog
which neither covers its rear end, nor protects it from the bites of insects.”4
Further, in this regard, from the academic world
scholars-thinkers of repute have, along with declaring life to be meaningless
of those uneducated, mentioned about floating universal order in the absence of
proper and capable education process. Hence, to say, if there is no education
process or if life is deprived of it, the universal order will not only squeak,
but its conduction will also be difficult. In the context of importance and
role of education in man’s life nothing more is required to mention, but to
accept necessarily that human life can become efficient, meaningful and worthy
only on the basis and strength of education.
Education: Meaning and Purpose
Education, the
word currently used in English, is, in fact, derived from the Latin word Educare, which is further
originated from Educere5 and in its basic spirit, which is at
the root of it, this is the
manifestation or expression. If one goes further in depth of this spirit, it
will become apparent that it reveals the inner capability of man that guides
him continuously throughout at various levels in all walks of life.
Socrates,
the ancient Greek philosopher has categorically said that education is to draw out what are already within…6 while
Plato –his chief disciple, states that it
is the acquisition of virtue by child.
Similarly,
from the East, India in particular, the Buddhist teachings reveal, in knowledge –true education, the first
thing is to know oneself;
further,
or secondly, to realize the part of us
that is pure, wise, full of truth, peaceful, and perfect.
Vivekananda –one of the greatest contemporary Indian
thinkers mentions that education is the
manifestation of the perfection already in man.7 Tagore while
describing the scope of education includes the
high head, free knowledge, truth coming from the depth, tireless striving
stretching arms towards perfection…within it.
Aurobindo has
talked about the integral education, which
must help flourish the very best in a human being –the unique and exquisite,
something, which every individual is born to offer to the world. Further,
he has pointed out, education is meant to
bring out the best in man, to develop his potentialities to the maximum, to
integrate him with himself –his surroundings, his society, his country and
humanity to make him the complete man –the integrated man.
Further,
Gandhi –the Mahatma points out in this regard:
“Real
education consists in drawing the best out of yourself.” and “By
education I mean an all-round drawing out of the best in child and man–body
mind and spirit. Literacy is not the end of education not even the beginning.
It is one of the means whereby man and women can be educated. Literacy in
itself is no education.”8
It,
as Kishorelal Mashruwala –an eminent Gandhian scholars, has mentioned, “…works
for all-round growth of man right from the beginning till end. Its ultimate aim
is to turn human knowledge into his ability.”9
Hence,
in brief, from the word-meaning, purpose and basic spirit at its root, the whole process, which along with
leaving impact upon the mind, character and physical strength, plays a vital
role in human development, is education. Not only this, it accords
continuity to intellect, knowledge and values; it leads one to proceed towards
the goal. Further, education [Shiksha] is, from the Vedic viewpoint, one of the six Vedangas.10 Clarity
of understanding and systematic method or the orders, which are inevitable and
the most important for the all-round development of one’s personality, are
within its scope.
Hence,
the educational process is fully dedicated to continuity and dynamism. It is
for growth or accumulation. It is the means to lead a human being on the
pathway to prosperity in prevailing circumstances on the basis of knowledge and
accomplishments.
For, the statement of Gautama Buddha
in which he has said that learning –
education, is the endless pursuit of
knowledge; one should never be satisfied with the teachings of a single master,
but to constantly be on a quest for ever greater knowledge, is contextual
and worth mentioning.
Thus,
categorically, from word-meaning and broad purpose of education viewpoint both
–the Western and Indian concepts are not so different. Rather, both of them are
to a large extent similar to each-another.
Dimensions
in Education Process: Refinement According to the Demand of Time and Space
Education, which is, undoubtedly, a process to
lead and guide a man well and continuously on the pathway to development,
further makes the prevailing situations of time and space conducive.
Categorically, making circumstances constantly favourable, giving continuity to
man’s progress and taking him to the goal is the purpose of education. For
this, education process takes dimensions incessantly –one after the other.
Without this, it can neither become fruitful nor meaningful.
Without receding from its basic spirit and also
without compromising to its purpose, education is, thus, always a subject of
refinements as per the demand of prevailing situations, time and space.11 It
is, to repeat, refinement that is inevitable and necessary in education, and it
can be known as dimension in the process.
The education system that prevailed in the West,
particularly during the time of Socrates and Plato –the two great Greek
philosophers, despite being identical from the meaning and purpose viewpoint in
theoretical perspective, was not the same in practice in the times of Aristotle
or other thinkers of later periods.
Socrates –the teacher of Plato has himself
emerged as the core character in Plato’s writings, thinking and philosophy.
Therefore, whatever Plato has mentioned that is taken in familiar terms with
Socrates. Plato
has written extensively on education. His thoughts pertaining to education are
still the part of syllabus at different levels of studies including graduation
and post-graduation levels, in both East and the West. It is categorically
because his views on education, despite being relevant in circumstances of his
own time and own land may have importance more or less, in one way or the
other, in current perspective all over the world. They however, in his own
time, remained relevant even with being grounded in his vision of the ideal
Republic, wherein the individual could serve the best by being subordinated to
a just society. Plato saw the development of an individual in a just society
and therefore focused on education particularly its plan accordingly. In this
regard Plato advocated for the rise of the child as a ward of the state, with
great care as responsibility being taken to differentiate children suitable to
the various backgrounds, the highest receiving the most education, so that he
could act as the guardians of the city and care for the less able. Moreover, in
his plan education had to be holistic, including facts, skills, physical
discipline, music and art, which could be considered as the highest form of
endeavour.
After Plato, we
could review Aristotle, his own student, giving a new dimension to education in
theoretical perspective in particular by stressing that education must not serve any mean or vocational
activity as these activities are the functions of slaves. Further he is found
advising about those who are to rule in times to come that the subject material
must train them in the use of reason. They must learn obedience and
responsibility before they come to rule. For this, he stressed on the
curriculum of the Academy12 to impart the four type of education
–basics, related to natural science, physical and humanities.13 Not
only this, for developing a sound moral aspect of personality Aristotle focused
on character-building right from the childhood. For this, he even stressed on
censorship of that aspects of education, which could, despite being quite
important, obstruct his way to character-building.
This process pertaining to dimensions could not
be confined to Greek philosophers –Plato and Aristotle in particular. Rather, it
prevailed throughout the West. Thinkers, philosopher, scholars and
educationists from the West accorded new dimensions to the field of education
from time-to-time through their ideas, suggestions and works. A good account of
their contribution is well before us to observe and analyze even in current
perspective.
Likewise, in the East, India in particular, the education
systems existed in the Vedic and
later Vedic eras,14 prior
to Gautama Buddha and Tirthankara Mahavira and during the lifetime of
Shakyamuni and Vardhamana themselves15 were different to
one-another.
In the later Vedic
era in particular the system
of education despite being confined to some particular sections of society
seemed to be well-planned and based on sound guru-shishya tradition in which a student while living in his
teacher’s house as Brahmachari with
simple living and high thinking was expected to study the Vedas –grammar, mathematics, mineralogy, logic, morality-ethics,
sciences in general and Brahmanvidya,
along with knowledge of Atman and
self-realization in particular.
During the time
of Tirthankara Mahavira and Siddhartha Gautama
education system seemed to be receiving a new dimension in which besides
maintaining the pre-established, to a great extent, monks, from the Buddhist
fold in particular, congregated in monasteries and providing itinerant teaching
for common men. Moreover, the elders amongst the monks were found teaching the
disciplines in the monasteries and
conducting discourses on doctrine, spiritual exercises and advanced
philosophical ideas. The Nalanda Mahavihara in Bihar and other known
monasteries were the centres of learning –secular arts, sciences and theology
in particular.
Later in all the
times from Chanakya16 to the Gupta17 or later to the
medieval period18 and from Colonial India –particularly in the time
of the English control over the Indian Subcontinent19 to the time of
Mahatma Gandhi20, education, in spite of being the same in theoretical
perspective and dedicated more or less to the development of man according to
its basic spirit was different in practice.
In the time of
Chanakya –the Mauryan Empire in India in particular [325-185 BC], world
renowned universities like Takshila, Vikramashila and Nalanda were flourishing;
education was according to its basic spirit imparted liberally to an extent
among women and common people by Jainism and Buddhism in particular.
In the Gupta
period, which is known as the golden era of Indian history –Hinduism in
particular, education received another and
unprecedented dimension. The Guptas founded and patronized many institutions of
higher learning, research and study. The standard of universities was so high
that due to it India became a centre for learning. Students and scholars from
across the world came to study in the University of Nalanda –a centre offering
a variety of courses, Takshila –for study and research in medicine, Vallabi
–for religious studies, law and medicine, Ujjain –for learning astronomy,
Ajanta –for art, architecture and painting, and Sarnath to study and research
in Buddhism.
In
the medieval period, and also up to early modern time, under the Muslim rule in
particular, emphasis on urban education could categorically be observed. Along
with promotion
in urban education and establishment of several libraries and literary
organizations, foundation of primary schools for learning, reading, writing,
particularly religious prayers and secondary schools for teaching advanced
language skills, exegesis, prophetic traditions, law [religious] and related
subjects could be seen. So many schools affiliated to mosques/shrines were open
to the poor, but were gender segregated and accessible only to the boys. Muslim
girls from higher families used to
study at home.
In Colonial
India, under the English Rule in particular, education got another dimension.
Its fundamental structure was changed. Thomas Babington Macaulay, as known to us, introduced English education in India through his famous
minute of February 1835, which he in fact successfully implemented the ideas
put forward by William
Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, Governor General of India between 1833 and 1835.
The main purpose of this was to prepare a particular class of elite to
strengthen the Rule. But on the other hand the system of education under
the British Rule received unprecedented development. Not only new universities
and colleges were opened, but the scope of the system with more facilities got
unique extension. The standard of education improved, expended to towns and
approached even those who were less privileged.
In the Gandhian
era, most of the first half of the Twentieth Century AD in which along with
Mahatma Gandhi himself, other great scholars-thinkers and educationists like
Tagore and Aurobindo could be listed, education process with great ideas and
endeavours turned to get a new dimension. Great and unprecedented efforts to
make education process the basis of self-reliance in regional-national
circumstances were initiated. Many panels were formed to analyze the prevailing
situation and requirements as per demand of time. Moreover, institutions were
established for imparting education accordingly at primary, secondary and
higher levels. In it besides self-sufficiency of man, stress was laid on making
high moral values, humanity and universal unity the part of the process.
Through this all-round development of personality was expected. Especially,
Tagore, Aurobindo and Gandhi laid great stress on making endeavours for this,
account of which is well before us to observe and analyze.
Hence, each time in history, education got a new
and different dimension. As per the requirements it obtained refinement in
prevailing situations of time and space, to become more or less welfaristic.
The people whose names have been particularly mentioned above played the vital
role in making the system of education conducive in prevailing situations of
their own respective times. That is why; their names are mentioned even today
in course of discussion on issues related to education.
Problems-Difficulties
and Expectations
Further, education as a process can never come
to a situation of the status quo or the perpetuity. Dimensions, one after the
other, are necessary in this process. Getting situations conducive to pave the
way for the welfare as per the demand of time and space is the aim of this
process. Not only this, making resources, whatever available, the means of
development through the use of intellect, capability and actions and thus
achieving the best can be the very expectation from this process. Hence, we can
mention again, words like dimensions and refinement are necessarily associated
with this. It will remain so in future as well. In the absence of it, or
without it, education-process can never proceed further in a fine manner.
Outcome can never be welfaristic.
Along with this, it is necessary to clarify that
by the first half of the Twentieth Century AD despite getting dimensions one
after the other from time-to-time through the ages, the process of education
remained more or less confined to some particular sections of societies.
Remaining restricted it was available in one way or the other to those who were
resourceful –prosperous socially and politically. Not only this, common people
were not within its domain in those eras. It was not all welfaristic from the
viewpoint of providing equal opportunities in particular. It does not matter
how great dimensions it got in the long human history, but reality is this that
in practice it remained isolated to a large extent.
It was in fact particularly since the second
half of the Twentieth Century that the huge waves started rising for political
freedom of people all over the world. The mass awakening to a large extent
paved the way more or less for people’s participation in one way or the other
especially in social and political spheres. Resultantly, situations started
changing rapidly. The demand of time also changed unprecedentedly.
Despite the constant refinements and so many
dimensions in education process much more has still to be done to achieve the
real object, to make education all-welfaristic. Education is, to repeat, an
endless process. To struggle with problems and to come out of obstacles on the
way is unavoidable; rather, it is the essential part of this process. That is
why; it continues. Further, to repeat, much more is to be done. So many
dimensions are to be added in this process in the prevailing situations of
space, and as per the demand of time.
In the entire human history now is the time when
not only equality and freedom are indispensable for each and everyone on this
planet, but, along with this, ascertaining equal opportunity for all to develop
is also necessary so that all-round development of personality can be possible.
For this, only a sound education process can pave the way. In this course a
fourfold education process, which accords equal opportunity to one and all to
acquire knowledge on the one hand and making them adept of bringing
coordination at all levels –individual life to universal level on the other can
be capable to achieve the purpose. In brief, we can say with certainty that
only a fourfold education system can be capable of all-round development of
personality, which is the basic spirit at the root of word education and that is the sole aim of education process.
The fourfold education, which can pave the way
for the all-round development of personality, or can be the only sound and
capable basis of achieving a goal in life, in fact, comprises of the following
four aspects:
1-General education that is imparted at
different levels according to prescribed syllabi and which ends with the
earning of a degree –graduate, postgraduate, a doctoral or postdoctoral;
2-Physical education –exercises to make the body
and mind healthy and to fill them with agility, dynamism and constructiveness;
3-Moral education –to lead one to the
righteousness and develop the sense of duty and responsibility on the one hand
and to safeguard those values on the other, which ascertain the identity of a
human being and are also essential for the proper conduction of the system
–from individual life to the universal; and
4-Technical or practical education –to make one
self-sufficient while being imparted along with the general education, which
can, in fact, play a vital role in making education process meaningful and to
lead one to achieve the real objective according to its meaning and also the
spirit at its root.
Education, despite being a process of all-round
development of man by bringing out from his own inside, has never remained free
from problems. During the course of moving forward this has faced many
difficulties always. In the present, education process faces them and it will
be so in times to come. This is the inevitability. For, as per the demand of
time efforts have been made in this regard. Effective and worthy efforts have
always been tried to make the system momentous and welfaristic. On the other
hand, if education process has not brought fruits as per the expectations, it
is definitely due to lack of sincere, effective and appropriate efforts. This
equally applies to the present and will be so in future.
In this regard it is the reasonability of all
those associated with education system, particularly the community of teachers
that occupies the most respectable place in society all over the world to come
forward to make the process conducive, meaningful and welfaristic as per the
demand of time and space so that it becomes capable to all-round development of
man and thus passes its acid test. It is the expectation that they will while
becoming dutiful remove hurdles from the way and will do their best to get the
process of education free of difficulties and problems, and makes it clear and
valued as per the spirit at its root.
In this context going forward in some details I
will first of all once again like to repeat that education imparted according
to prescribed syllabi at different levels –from primary to higher, ends
generally with the earning of a degree by a student. For this, a student spends
approximately 20-22 years of her/his life. Thousands and millions in number
earn degrees at graduate-postgraduate and doctoral-postdoctoral levels all over
the world. But, irony is this that even after earning a doctoral degree they
generally lack self-sufficiency. They stray from self-reliance and it is, but
natural. The education they get according to the prescribed syllabi lacks the
spirit remains at the root of education. It is not in consonance of the real
word-meaning and the aim of education. It is not for bringing out what is there
inside of man and to pave the way for his all-round development on its basis.
Those who play a vital role in preparing syllabi do they really care for this?
Whether they stress on how to bring out from inside and to make it the sound
basis of all-round development of personality in prevailing situations of space
and time while preparing syllabi?
In not a single country of the world, I am of
the firm opinion, responsible ones for the job do not care for the spirit at
the root of word-meaning and purpose of education while setting up their
respective syllabi, which
are the most important instrument structuring the courses. Syllabi may seem prepared well and beautifully
and may also seem laying stress on knowledge at different levels, but in
reality there is no emphasis on bringing out from inside and on the all-round
development of personality on the basis of it.
In this regard, technical education, placed as
the fourth in the fourfold education plan, must be connected with general
education to be imparted according to prescribed syllabi right from the primary
level. Identifying the chief attribute from many of the attributes, which each
and every child naturally possesses, the process of his education should be
started accordingly from the basic or primary level. This is, in fact, that
technical education in which he can get proficiency easily. Becoming capable on
the strength of the chief attribute that he already possesses, he can make his
way trouble-free in this context. In other words, by illuminating out what he
has inside through proficiency, sincerity, dedication and efforts, he can
continuously step forward to achieve a goal and will not depend on anyone even
in the matter of employment. Thus, what is expected that will be achieved from
education. Along with this, education in itself will prove to be true and
meaningful.
It is a challenging task. Who will identify the
chief attribute of a child in these days of constantly increasing competition
for gains? I am asked about it by teachers-professor when I talk or speak on
this subject. They accept the truth, but doubt about its success. However, I
again lay stress on it and firmly say that if education has to become effective
and meaningful, and to be the basis of all-round development of personality
simultaneously, this is inevitable and necessary. Otherwise, education process
will remain filled with darkness; it will not bring fruits as per the
expectations. Shortcuts, momentary gains and unnecessary competitions, which
have no place in this process, and are not welfaristic at all, will remain
compelling. This has to be understood and realized by those who think about it
and by accepting challenges desire to do something concrete in this regard –to
make education meaningful and real.
Further, in the all-round development of
personality the importance of physical and moral education is not the least.
The fourfold education essentially includes these two –moral and physical
exercises, and in the absence of these two, education can never convey its
meaning and fulfill its purpose.
The physical education is important for the
growth of body and mind, both. It is physical education, which brings
discipline in life and plays an important role in the creation of constructive
approach. It is this that leads man towards self-sufficiency and purity.
Therefore, can repeat again, physical education is necessary and inevitable for
the development of personality.
It does not matter if the one is sound enough
mentally; it also does not matter if due to sound mind the physical growth of a
person is not given much importance in this era of unprecedented progress of
science and technology, but it has to be realized that physical exercises are
always necessary for maintaining the prosperity of mind. Not only this, it is
also essential for blooming, controlling and ensuring steadiness of mind,
getting it free from tensions and making it peaceful. It is of the utmost
importance for balancing the body and mind. It may have many dimensions at
different levels –from general exercises to extraordinary ones, and Yogic exercises are its best and
furthering steps, which play the significant role in different forms in the
development of one’s personality. The great Indian concept and tradition
pertaining to Yoga21 can
also be observed and viewed in this very perspective.
Similarly, moral education is necessary for
making one’s deeds welfaristic. It is inevitable to fill the one with the sense
of duties and responsibilities. Apart from remaining within the scope of
inevitable law of change, morality is not merely a principle. Rather, morality
plays the vital role in conducting the system –from individual life to the
universal level. Its significance can be understood just from the spirit of
responsibility that originates from morality itself. Therefore, education,
which is expected developing personality, is without morality worth nothing. It
is also for the reason that education, which lack the spirit of duty and
responsibility is not the real one.
In conclusion, it can be said with certainty
that along with general and technical knowledge, physical exercises and moral
education are indispensable of fourfold education system that can, in fact, be
capable of all-round development of personality, or in other words for leading
the one to her/his goal. None of them can be neglected on the one hand and
importance of anyone cannot be minimized on the other. It is to be understood and on its basis only
we should proceed further.
References:
1. I am of the firm opinion
that Ahimsa [non-violence], besides
being the eternal and permanent value, is a natural value also; it has remained
present in man’s nature from the time of his emergence, or the birth. Further,
it is an essential condition of existence, development and reaching the goal in
life. If it was not so, what to say of development or the goal, the human race
would extinct long ago.
3. www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/Chanakya]
4. www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/Chanakya]
5. As is known the word education is the noun of the verb
educate coming from the English, it originated from the Latin term educare,
meaning thereby bring up, or rear and linked further to educere which means to
lead forth or bring out.
6. Global Peace, 11/3 [To
quote Socrates himself, “I cannot teach anybody anything; I can only
make them think.”]
7. As above.
8. Harijan: July 31, 1937
9. Kumar, Ravindra. 1999.
Essays on Gandhian and Peace, page 2. Meerut [India]: Krishna Publications.
10. The six auxiliary disciplines traditionally associated with the
study and understanding of the Vedas –Shiksha, Kalpa –ritual, Vyakarna –grammar, Nirukta –etymology, Chandas –meter and jyotisha –astronomy.
11. Not
only in theoretical context, but, simultaneously, from practical viewpoint in
different forms.
12. It was in 335 BC when Aristotle after his return to Athens, established his own school or academy known as the
Lyceum.
13. In
the scheme of Aristotle’s four types of education, basics include reading, writing and mathematics, not
for purposes of trade, but as a preparation for the intellectual abstractions of
higher mathematics; natural sciences
include astronomy, biology, physiology, zoology, chemistry and
physics in particular; physical
education includes the training of the body –for the physical well-being
of every citizen; and humanities
include rhetoric, grammar, poetry, politics and philosophy as they are
important subjects for life.
14. Approximately 1200-600
BC
15. Approximately
600-450 BC
16. 370-283 BC
17. Approximately 320 to 550 AD
18. Approximately 5-15 Centuries AD
19. Between 1858 and 1947
20. Up to 1948
21. Which
takes mind, body and spirit to be one and inseparable from one-another; the Yoga philosophy simultaneously stresses
on Yogic practices for moral, ethical
and character building of man to lead him to achieve the goal in life.
*****
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