Gandhi’s Views on Education- What Are the Aims and Objectives of Education According to Gandhi?

 

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"If we want to reach real peace in this world, we should start teaching children"

- M. K. Gandhi

                                                                                                                        

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Born on 02 Oct 1869 in porbandar but never limited his work to that place only.

The whole nation and almost every aspect which contributes to it's development is highly influenced and been contributed by The Gandhi.

Education is not just one of them instead it was the primary focus of Gandhi because according to him peace is a basic amenity to live a happy life and education is a way to it.

What Is Education According to Gandhi?

Gandhi's contribution to education is unique.

Meaning of education defined by Gandhi is a way to develop the physical, mental and spiritual powers of an individual.

Gandhi says, "By education I mean an all round drawing out of the best in child and man-body, mind and spirit".

He never seen education bounded in the books, he always focused upon an individual's own development at his/her own pace.

According to him, reading and writing are not only education.

To Gandhi no education is worth unless it makes people Good Citizen.

Educational Philosophies of Gandhi 

He was the first Indian who advocated a scheme of education keeping the essential values of Indian culture and civilization in mind and he urged to give importance to Indian society in education.

At heart he was denoted to IDEALISM.

He wanted to see his ideals and values in practical living.

Gandhi always spoke for and supported the ideals truth, non violence and moral values to achieve the ultimate truth of self-realization.

His philosophy of education focused on harmonious development and his philosophy was blended of idealism, naturalism and pragmatism approach.

Naturalism & Pragmatism: The Integrated Theory for human-kind

When he speaks about the development of child according to his/her nature applies the Naturalistic approach.

When he applies the approach of learning by including the past experiences follows the pragmatism theory.

The above merger of two approaches leads to an integrated approach to ensure essential and effective education resulting in development of the total personality.

Aims of Education: Gandhi's Perspective

Gandhi divided educational aim into two categories as:

1. Immediate aim of education
2. Ultimate aim of education

Immediate Aims:

1. Vocational Aim - 

• Each child should through his/her education be able to learn a productive craft to meet his/her future needs of life.
• He did not mean to make the child a labor.
• He wish, each child should earn while engaged in learning.
• In his words "Education ought to be for them(children) a kind of insurance against unemployment.

     2. Cultural Aim -

• Vocational training and cultural development should go parallel.
• He considered cultural aspect more essential than academic(literary) aspects.

    

    3. Character Aim -

• Like Herbart, Gandhi also stood and believed that one of the essential aim of education is moral development or character development.
• End of all education or knowledge should be the building above character such as- courage, strength of mind, self-restraint and service of humanity.
• Ability to distinguish between good and bad.

    4. Dignity of labor -

• Students may stand on their own legs after completing their education.
• Students must learn the dignity of labor. They should not feel embarrass while doing some work with their hands. 
• Primary education from 7 to 14 years should be universal so that each child gets opportunity to learn the same things, not dependent on rural or urban distribution of population.

  

   5. Training of leadership - 

• Gandhi believed that for successful democratic world, good leaders and leading qualities in it's people are needed.
• Education should be imbibe qualities of a good leader in the learner. 

   6. Social and individual aim -

• Gandhi believed that the individual and society are inter dependent that is they are dependent on each other and one affects the other in almost every situation of life.

Ultimate Aims:

1. Ultimate aim of education is to realize god. All other aims are subservient to this, Realization of God The Supreme Aim.
2. It is the realizing godliness in his/her self.

Conclusion

Gandhi's views on education in simple terms is a way to development of an individual, at his/her natural pace, involving past experiences and social environment for the sake of society.

He always laid his focus on wellness of human and aim of education should teach the abilities which can help an individual to live a social and happy life.

Learning by doing, Art and craft, Vocational training to erode the unemployment is also suggested by Gandhi.

I hope we will fulfill the aims of education suggested by Gandhi and will lead a society which will get remembered always for "Peace and Ahinsa".

Written By: Komal Jha