INTEGRAL EDUCATION OF SRI AUROBINDO GHOSH

Present Education System

In our present education system, the focus is on mental development and that too on memory and getting information from various sources. The other aspects of mental development like concentration, imagination, widening the mind etc. are neglected a lot. The present education system is largely subject-information oriented, book-oriented and exam oriented. Some aspects of physical education and aesthetic education are included in current education system, but that too are negligible. The inner aspects of the personality are not given any importance in curriculum. And what is the situation about value education? "We sometimes speak of value education, but the situation is so confusing that there is a great need to clarify the entire domain of moral and spiritual values which would also throw considerable light on what we should mean by psychic and spiritual education."

Integral education

Integral education is a complete system of education. It develops not only cognitive mind but it develops physical, vital, spiritual, and psyche aspects of personality also. Here the word ‘Integral’ means ‘total’. It nourishes a sense of integrity, beauty and harmony in all aspects of humanity. With the help of innovative techniques of imparting education and activity based learning, students are equipped with multi skills and abilities which can be applied and used in his life.

Integral education is not merely an idea but it is a complete and perfect system of education, According to Sri Aurobindo true education is not only limited to spiritual aspect of education but it also includes rational, physical and vital aspects of education, these all make it integral education. In the words of Mother, who was a closest collaborator of Sri Aurobindo, “To be complete education it must be five principle aspects relating to five principle activities of human being: the physical, the mental, the psyche, the vital and the spiritual. This education is complete, complimentary to each other and continued till the end of life.”

Sri Aurobindo used the sense of integral education in two dimensions. In the first dimension, integral means imparting five aspects ( physical, mental, spiritual, vital and psyche) of individual being and in second sense of integral means education is not for evolution of individual but for nation and finally for humanity. In a broader sense integral means evolution of humanity and promoting the principle of unity in diversity.

Need of Integral Education

Though the concept of integral education sounds ambitious yet it has become an urgent need in the modern world which is struggling hard to find answers of the questions like – How to accelerate the pace of growth and development (material prosperity)? What is to be done to survive in the era of sharp-edged competition?

The system of integral education, on one hand, provides scope to equip children with all requisite life skills, to polish their capabilities and to award them with powers to bring desirable changes while on the other hand, it can equip them with ‗self control to use all those knowledge, capacities, skills, and powers for their own welfare and for the betterment of the society as a whole. Thus, adopting the system of integral education would result in combing the two ever contrasting aims of having material growth and human welfare and satisfaction.

a.    Firstly, there is, today, an unparalleled width and depth of inquiry, which requires a new kind of education that would simultaneously be comprehensive and specialized or varied so as to suit each individual.

b.    Secondly, the modern human personality has become, as never before, subject to psychological turmoil, imposing a new dimension in education that still remains undefined and insufficiently explored.

c.    Thirdly, there is a greater quest all over the world for the synthesis of knowledge and culture. Ancient knowledge is being rediscovered in the context of modern knowledge. The humanist and the technologist are finding themselves in greater and greater need to each other; and the scientist and the mystic are getting ready to embrace each other. The educational implications of these developments are obvious.

Integral education – the revolution it seeks

Man is not mind plus body. Man is, as the Gita says, body, life, mind and soul. The Atman, in its evolving form, is called by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother the Psychic Being, to distinguish it from the soul as the presiding spiritual fact. This is the revolution initiated and carried on by Integral Education. If sincerely carried out, it means a real revolution for us in India and also the world.

Aspects of Integral Education

Education is expected to bring out the best in man. The question is what is meant by bringing out the best in man. India has always seen in him not merely a body, an emotional and aesthetic being, a rational and thinking mind, but much more fundamentally a soul, evolving gradually into a higher consciousness. It is this concept which has made India a nation apart and our education too must reflect this attitude. It must lay stress on the emergence of the spirit, not rejecting but embracing and perfecting matter and life.

Integral Education based on the Indian yogic science aims at the total and complete development of the individual: a strong, supple, well formed and healthy body; a sensitive unselfish and mature emotional nature, a positively energetic vital, an enlightened mind, a wide-ranging and vibrant intelligence, a strong will, a balanced and pleasant personality; and the subtler spiritual qualities that can channelise, harmonise and direct all the different parts of an individual into a life that is beneficial to the individual and to his fellow-men. But the Integral Education is not confined to the thought of integration of individual and society. The concept of Integral Education encompasses the integration of matter and spirit also.

Integral Education as an International System

The aim is at humanity as a whole, the integral education should not be confined to any specific region or part of the world. The system of Integral Education has the potential to be universally accepted. Such an education will be essentially based on spirituality and obviously will foster brotherhood, love and peace among nations.

There is necessity of assimilating the material knowledge of the west with the spiritual knowledge. Integral education, with some variations can be adapted to all the nations of the world.

A synthesis of Matter and Spirit

According to Sri Aurobindo, the matter is an expression of the divine. There is life in matter. An effective education makes a synthesis of matter and spirit. The West has the knowledge of matter but rejected the Spirit; and The East has the knowledge of the Spirit, but neglected matter. The synthesis of the two is necessary so that both would be benefited. Foundation of an effective education should have its pillars rising from both the aspects.

It has now become clear that the knowledge of the Spirit and the knowledge of Matter need to be blended and synthesized; ... And in doing so, all that is intermediate between Spirit and Matter has also to be perfected and brought into unity in complete integration. All this has to be done both at the collective level and the individual level, and in doing so, we shall find it necessary to develop integral education.

Integration of Inner and outer realities

An integral education would by its action integrate the inner and outer realities of our life and personality. Its principles would be harmony and synthesis. Its movement would be individual and universal at the same time. Its scope would be each and every activity, each and every aspect of life- from the most sacred to the most mundane.

  Also see 

1. Educational Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore

2. INTEGRAL EDUCATION OF SRI AUROBINDO GHOSH

Sri Aurobindo Ghosh and his Contribution to Education

Concept of Education

Sri Aurobindo Ghosh was deadly against the prevalent education of his times. He has admitted that after the attainment of independence, changes have occurred in our system of education, but it is not in conformity with the mental and spiritual needs of children and demands of the nation. According to him, our education should be in accordance with the needs of our-real modern life. In other words, education should create dynamic citizens so that they are able to meet the real needs of modern complex life. Sri Aurobindo, thus, writes, "Education to be true must not be a machine made fabric, but a true building or living evocation of the powers of the mind and spirit of human being."

Brief Life Sketch

Born: 15 August 1872, Kolkata

Died: 5 December 1950, Puducherry

Literary works: The Life Divine, The Synthesis of Yoga, Savitri 

Basic Principles of Sri Aurobindo’s Ghosh

The basic principles of Sri Aurobindo's educational philosophy are as follows:

                                 

        i.   Education should be imparted through the medium of mother tongue.

                                   

       ii.   Education should be child centered.

                                  

       iii.   Education should be according to the mental aptitudes and psychological needs of the child.

                              

       iv.   Education should develop to the full the latent powers of the child.

                                 

      v.   Education should achieve the physical purification of the child.

                               

      vi.   Education should develop consciousness.

                               

    vii.   Education should train the senses of child

                              

   viii.   Education should develop the soul substance of an individual.

                                  

  ix.   Brahmacharya should be the basic foundation of education.

                                

       x.   Subjects of education should be interesting.

                               

      xi.   Education should develop all the faculties of child to make him a complete man.

      xii.   There should be religious tinge in education otherwise it will spread corruption.

Sri Aurobindo believed that the highest truths, the truth contained of science and religion were already contained in Vedas. The Gita and the Upanishads are nothing but a logical continuation of the Vedas. 

Aurobindo’s Aims of Education

Shri Aurobindo emphasized that

a.    Education should be in accordance with the needs of our real modern life. In other words, education should create dynamic citizen so that they are able to meet the needs of modern complex life.

b.    According to him, physical development and holiness are the chief aims of education. As such, he not only emphasized mere physical development, but physical purity also without which no spiritual development is possible. In this sense physical development and purification are the two bases on which the spiritual development is built.

c.    To train all the senses hearing, speaking, listening, touching, smelling and tasting. According to him these senses can be fully trained when nerve, chitta and manas are pure. Hence, through education purity of senses is to be achieved before any development is possible.

d.    To achieve mental development of the child. This mental development means the enhancement of all mental faculties ‟ namely memory, thinking, reasoning, imagination, and discrimination etc. education should develop them fully and harmoniously.

e.    He also has emphasized that without moral and emotional development only, mental development becomes harmful to human process. Heart of a child should be so developed as to show extreme love, sympathy and consideration for all living beings. This is real moral development. 

Thus, the teacher should be a role model to his children that mere imitation can enable them to reach higher and higher stages of development. Development of conscience is another important aim of education that needs to develop by the help of teacher. Conscience has four level chitta, manas, intelligence, and knowledge. Aurobindo emphasized that the main aim of education is to promote spiritual development. According to him every human being has some fragment of divine existence within himself and education can scan it from each individual with its full extent.

Curriculum

Sri Aurobindo stresses integrated curriculum for the students which includes activities, subjects and spiritual experiences all in a unifying whole. Sri Aurobindo also suggested such subjects which could be helpful in all round development of the individual. He wished to infuse a new life and spirit into each subject and activity through which the development of super human being could become possible. According to Aurobindo the Curriculum should be as follow- 

i.    Curriculum should be interesting.

ii.    It should include all those subjects which promote mental I and spiritual development.

iii.    Subjects of Curriculum should be able to motivate children.

iv.    Curriculum items should involve creativity of life and constructive capacities.

v.    Curriculum should motivate children towards the attainment of knowledge of the whole world. vi.    Aurobindo has prescribed the following subjects in the Curriculum for the different stages of             education: 

            

        a.    Primary Stage: Mother tongue, English, French, literature, national history, art, painting,                 general science, social studies and arithmetic.

 

b.    Secondary Stage: Mother tongue, English, French, arithmetic, art, chemistry, Physics, botany, physiology, health education, social studies.

c.    University Stage: Indian and western philosophy, history of civilization, English literature, French literature, sociology, psychology, history of science, chemistry, physics, botany, International relations and integration.

d.    Vocational Education: arts, painting, photography, sewing, sculptural drawing, type, shorthand, cottage industries, carpentry, mechanical and electrical engineering, nursing, Indian and European music, dramatization and dancing. 

 Methods of Teaching

Sri Aurobindo suggested

i.    Activity method,

ii.    Observation  method,

iii.    Self discovery method,

iv.    Discussion method ,

v.    Learning by doing,

vi.    Learning by self experience during teaching learning process.

Role of Teacher

Sri Aurobindo has given a very respectable and very a responsible job for the teacher because in his system, activity more on the part of the people was needed. So the teacher should be careful enough to observe the working of the student minutely so that he could guide those students who were going on wrong track. Sri Aurobindo suggested the he should not teach but suggest, organize their work and show them the direction to responsibility, and to help them to find out inner guidance. Sri Aurobindo discarded the punishment and the stimulation of fear. 

Place of Teacher

Aurobindo has assigned a very important place to the teacher. The central place, as in the Western systems of education, has been occupied by the educand. His philosophy of education, therefore, is paid centric. However, the teacher remains the philosopher and the guide. His aims at turning the disciple's eye towards the beacon light of his own Godhead. In fact, the real teacher is within the educand. He is the God. He is the ultimate guide and yet the teacher plays an important role in arousing the educand towards God within. He has not to impose his opinions or demand passive surrender from the educand. He has to create an atmosphere so that the educand may grow freely.

Relevance of the Modern System of Education

Although Sri Aurobindo had given his theory in 1910 and 1937 respectively, yet his theory is relevant to the modern system of education. Sri Aurobindo’s theory is relevant in respect of all round development of the child, compulsory education at least up to the age of 6-14 years, lifelong and continuing education, vocational education, creativity, study of science and technology, literature etc. Sri Aurobindo’s main contribution in future education that is to prepare for future life. Sri Aurobindo also gave preference to national integration, international integration, value education and non formal programs for rural and unorganized sectors.

 

Basic Education of M.K. Gandhi

 

Mahatma Gandhi proposed his scheme of Basic Education (Nai Talim) in a well formulated approach to education in 1937 in his news paper ‘Harijan’. In order to discuss different aspects of the scheme of education, an All India education conference was held in Wardha on 22nd and 23rd October, 1937. The conference is called Wardha Educational Conference and Gandhiji himself presided over the conference. After serious discussions, the following four resolutions were passed in the conference.

Basic education or Nai Talim was based on the fundamental principle of “learning by doing”. Gandhiji believed on action and hence his concepts of basic education can be classified as activity method or practical method. It was mainly a method of co-relation between book learning and doing activity through craft like gardening, weaving, spinning, carpentry, etc. According to him, a realistic scheme of education must be closely integrated with the physical and social environment of the student.

Important features of Gandhiji’s Basic Education

According to Gandhiji and his philosophy, the important features of basic education may be listed as below.

1.    Free and compulsory education for all- Gandhiji wanted the basic education should be free and compulsory for all boys and girls between the ages of seven to fourteen.

2.    Mother tongue as medium of instruction- Gandhiji, believed that the medium of basic education should be the mother tongue. Strong mother tongue foundation leads to a much better understanding of the curriculum as well as a more positive attitude towards school.

3.    Craft centred education- Gandhiji emphasised on craft-centred education which had great importance in Indian scenario. In Indian scenario, craft would make education self-supportive as it is not possible to educate all citizens and provide them government jobs. So, the craft centred education would help to provide employment opportunity to all citizens and make them self-sufficient.

4.    Development of creativity and critical thinking- Gandhiji emphasized on the principle of 'learning by doing' which stimulates the individual's mind to think creatively and critically. His great emphasis on work-culture to the students from initial stage was to enable the students to start producing while learning. So, his primary aim of basic education was to utilize head, heart and hand rather than concentrating on reading or writing only.

5.    Emphasis on collaborative learning- True education is a lifelong process which helps in cultivating the spirit of co-operation, tolerance, collaboration and a sense of responsibility. All these qualities are required for the development of human personality which can create the pleasant balance between the individuals and social aim of education.

6.    Importance on moral education- Gandhiji thought that the peace is essential for human life which can be attained through education. Peace can be attained only through morality and ethics. According to him, education must be based on ethics and morality. Gandhiji advised to all students to consider morality and honesty as essential parts of their education.

7.    Emphasis on character building- Education is the most powerful weapon which helps to build genuine characters of a student. The goal of education should consist of character-building. The character-building includes the moral, intellectual and social behaviour of a student under all circumstances. A student should develop personality, compassion, kindness, fair-mindedness and the spirit of dedication by virtue of education.

8.    Development of self reliance and patriotism- The main purpose of basic education was to achieve an integral development of children and to create a sense of patriotism though practice of handicraft. Gandhiji desired that the basic education system should be self-supporting for every child by learning a craft or occupational skill for livelihood. He wanted education to ensure employment.

9.    Development of faith on Truth & Non-violence- Gandhiji was always considered that non-violence is an important and essential part of education. Truth & Nonviolence was the fundamental formula of Gandhiji’s philosophy. Basic education too was also based upon the principle of truth and Non-violence.

10.    Awareness on Social Services- Students should be involved in different community services to develop responsibility and create awareness on social services. Education must be based on social good, welfare for all and must uplift the human aspect. The basic education by Gandhi aimed at encouraging the spirit of service and self-sacrifice.

Aims of Basic Education
By basic education is meant to provide basic knowledge and skill to the children and to prepare them for normal life. The following aims have been determined of basic education:

a.    Physical and Mental Development: Gandhiji was aware that man is a psychophysical being, so he emphasized on his physical and mental development first. He also emphasized on constructing the Curriculum on its basis.

b.    Establishment of Sarvodaya Society: Man is a social being, therefore education should effect his social development But Gandhiji took Social development in a specific meaning. He wanted to construct such a society in which nobody will exploit anybody, all will love each other, all will cooperate with each other, and all will help in each other’s progress; it will be the rise of everybody.

c.    Cultural Development: The Indians of higher classes of that time were the admirers of western culture. So Gandhiji Wrote with great emphasis that if a generation becomes ignorant of the efforts of its ancestors, and feels ashamed on its culture, then it is destroyed. Therefore he had provided basic education to preserve Indian culture.

d.    Character and Moral Development: Gandhiji knew the significance of force of character. His companions too had emphasized on character-development by education. This is an important aim of basic education.

e.    Vocational Development: Gandhiji said two things about it — first, the handicraft taught to the children should produce so much of production that from its profits the schools can be run; and second, the children should be able to earn their livelihood after having gained skill in these handicrafts or industries.

f.    Development of Citizenship: An individual is called a citizen from state viewpoint. It is necessary for the citizens of any country to follow the national rules and be loyal to it, they should do their duty and protect their rights. This is the chief aim of any national education system. Basic education is a national education plan; it is natural for it to have this aim.

g.    Spiritual Development: In Gandhiji’s own words, “By education I mean an all— round drawing out of the best, in child and man — body, mind and spirit.” It is clear that Gandhiji wanted to effect spiritual development too by education. But he did not favour the education of any one religion, he emphasized on its attainment by religious goodwill.

 Curriculum of Basic Education

For the attainment of above aims of basic education, the following activity- based curriculum was constructed:

i.    Handicraft and Industry (spinning, weaving, gardening, agriculture, wood work, leather work,          book art, earthen work and fishery, etc.)

ii.   Mother tongue

iii.   Hindustani (Hindi), for non Hindi students.

iv.    Practical mathematics (weights and measures, arithmetic, algebra, geometry)

v.    Social subjects (history, geography, civic and social studies)

vi.   General science (nature observation, gardening, botany, zoology, chemistry, physics, home                 science)

vii.  Music

viii.. Drawing

ix.   Hygiene (cleanliness, exercise and games)

x.    Moral Education (moral education, celebration of social and national festivals, social work)

Method of Teaching in Basic Education

a.    In Basic education activity-based teaching methods have been emphasized in place of traditional telling and book methods. The following are its chief characteristics:

b.    Activity and experiences are given prominent importance in basic education. Children are given opportunities for nature observation and social work, they are given opportunities to learn by self-experience.

c.    All subjects and activities are correlated in basic education; it is called correlation method. In the beginning the basis of correlation was a handicraft or industry, later it was approved to make natural environment or social environment as its bases too. In this method, children get real knowledge and skill by taking part in real activities of real environment and get it as a whole unit.

 d.    In basic education, real knowledge is imparted by the medium of real activities of children’s life.

e.     In basic education, the knowledge of mother tongue is also imparted naturally — first oral language (listening and speaking) is taught and then written language (reading and writing) is taught.

f.     In basic education, children are given free opportunities for self-expression.

Teacher In Basic Education
In national basic education, woman teachers has been given preference over man teachers. Besides emphasis was laid on the fact that the primary teachers should be at least metric pass and trained in teaching.

Evaluation of Educational Thought of Mahatma Gandhi
Evaluation of an object, activity or thought is done on the basis of certain predetermined norms. 

        i.  Education is the Process of development of man; it is the Process of enhancing his knowledge and skill and of providing proper direction to his conduct, thought and behaviour.

        ii.  Then the evaluation of an educational thought or system should be done on this basis how far it has been or can be helpful in constructing suitable education from the above viewpoint. We have made an endeavor in this direction. 

Gandhiji will be ever remembered to the end of human civilization for his contribution in political freedom, removal of untouchability, making of classless society and teaching lessons of truth, non-violence and love. He has conducted several experiments in the educational field too and has prepared a national education plan for it.

Gandhiji has not propounded any new philosophy. He has given practical form to ancient Indian philosophy. But in giving it the practical form, he has worked with his originality, so it is known as Gandhian philosophy or Gandhi darshan. Gandhiji believed in the existence of soul and God and considered the ultimate aim of human life as emancipation. For this emancipation, he considered physical, mental and spiritual development of man as essential. His educational thought is developed on this basis.

Conclusion

Basic education is related to the basic needs and interest of the education for the development of a child. The aim of Gandhiji’s basic education was to educate the students on crafts which would enable them to solve the problems of their livelihood and at the same time develop qualities of good citizenship. In Gandhiji’s view, sound education must be rooted through the culture and moral value also. Gandhiji’s idea of basic education is valid and fruitful which may also be used as guiding principles in the present scenario. The modern education system needs to be reformed at elementary stage keeping in view of the moral value and employability features of the Gandhiji’s basic education.