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.
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.
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