Mahatma Gandhi believed that people
have no idea about the true education because the value of education is
assessed from the economic point of view. The parents provide their sons and
daughters such type of education which enable them to earn money. But this is
not the main objective of true education. The main objective of education
should be the development of character. The nature of true education is defined
as the formation of character.
‘ The
real difficulty is that people have no idea of what education truly is. We
assess the value of education in the same manner as we assess the value of
education in the same manner as we assess the value of land or of shares in the
stock-exchange market. We want to provide only such education as would enable
the student to earn more. We hardly give any thought to the improvement of the
character of the educated. The girls, we say, do not have to earn; so why
should they be educated? As long as such ideas persist there is no hope of our
ever knowing the true value of education’.1
Education Is not mere Literacy:
The pall Mall gazette, a well known journal in England narrates the nature of true
education as it has given emphasis on acquiring good habits and the main
function of teachers is not to teach the alphabet but to inculcate humanity.2
Aristotle once rightly remarked that virtue can not be learnt by reading big
volumes and virtue can be learnt by doing good deeds? Mere literacy is not
education. True education is to face the challenges of life. Parents should
provide such education and teachers should discharge their duties accordingly.
Parents, Teachers and students all should recognize that mere literacy is not
education .3
Education as
Training: ‘Now I have read a great deal in the
prison. I have reading Emersion, Ruskin and Mazzini. I have also been reading
the Upanishadas. All confirm the view
that education does not mean a knowledge of letters but it means character
building, it means a knowledge of duty. Our own word literally means
‘training’. If this be true view and it is to my mind the only true view, you
are receiving the best education—training—possible’
Education as Service:
Mahatma Gandhi opined that true education lies
in serving others. ‘A great deal of
religious obligations on us are
fulfilled when we nurse the sick. He was not worried about the bookish learning
so long as the students performed their duties and observed solemn ethical
conduct. To him carrying out the fundamentals of ethics is duty. He told, ‘I
shall support you if you want to study further out of your love for it or for
excellence. But I won’t scold you if you do not do it. Try your best to carry
out the decisions you have made . Write to me what you do at the press, at what
time do you get up and about your work at the farm.’4
Education as Laying strong
Foundation:
Mahatma Gandhi considered education
as the foundation of life. The ordinary meaning of education is a knowledge of
letters. To teach boys reading, writing, and arithmetic is called primary
education. He gave example of a peasant who earns his bread honestly but has
ordinary knowledge of the world. He knows fairly well how he should behave
towards his parents, his wife, his children and his fellow villagers. He
understands and observes the rule of morality. But he cannot write his own
name. What is the need of giving him a knowledge of letters.
He should not be made discontented
with his cottage. He will not need such an education. He believed that a man has had a liberal education who has
been so trained in youth that his body is the ready servant of his will and
does with ease and pleasure. One who is
truly educated ‘whose intellect is clear, cold, logic engine with all parts of
equal strength and in smooth working order,….. whose mind is stored with a
knowledge of the fundamental truths of nature,…whose passions are trained to
come to heel by a vigorous will, the servant of a tender conscience,..who has
learnt to hate all vileness and to respect others as himself. Such a one and no
other, I conceive, has had a liberal education, for he is in harmony with
nature. He will make the best of her and she of him. Our ancient school system
is enough. Character-building has the first place in it and that is primary
education. A building erected on that foundation will last.’5
Education as Liberation ‘ That is true education which leads
to freedom. That which liberates is education. Liberation is of two kinds. One
form of liberation consists in securing the freedom of the country from foreign
rule. Such freedom may proved short- lived. The other kind of liberation is for
all time……the ultimate moksha.’ 6
Education as assimilation:
Mahatma Gandhi expressed his opinion
that It is the duty of students to assimilate whatever they have learnt. They
should have religious and moral instructions
as much of it as they can usefully apply. They need education in such
measure that it would not become too much of a useless burden on them.’ 7
Overcoming Fear:
‘For us, fear has become synonymous
with life. What is the use of that education which does not help us to overcome
fear, but which, on the contrary, strengthens it? What kind of an education is
it which does not teach us to follow truth and to cultivate devotion for the
country?’8
Learning vs.
courage:
‘Let them (students) realize that
learning without courage is like a waxen statue beautiful to look at but bound
to melt at the least touch of a hot substance.’9
Education as Contemplation:
Mahatma Gandhi opined that education
should contemplate the whole life. Mere memorizing and bookish knowledge is not
education. He had no faith in the
so-called system of education which produced ‘men of learning without the
backbone of character.’10
True Education of the Child:
Mahatma Gandhi believed that true
education does not mean a knowledge of the alphabet. Knowledge of alphabet is
only a means to education. But true education implies a child’s learning how to
put his mind and all his senses to good use.
He believed that a child who has made very good progress in his
education ‘who can understand the difference between truth and untruth, worth
and worthlessness and chooses the good and true, while rejecting the bad and
the untrue.’11
Education and Culture
Culture is the refinement of feelings.
Education makes a man cultured. Cultural progress achieved through education
makes a society and nation healthy. ‘Education’ means knowledge of literature.
‘Education is a means and culture is the end. The latter is possible even
without education. For instance, if a child is brought up in a truly cultured
family, it will consciously imbibe culture from its family, in our country at
any rate. Present-day education and culture have no connection with each
other.’ 12
Development of
Body, mind and Spirit:
‘The English word ‘education’
etymologically means ‘drawing out’. That means to bring out the best of the
latent talents. Development of a certain
thing does not mean the change its kind or quality, but it is to bring out the
latent qualities .Hence ‘education’ means ‘unfoldment’.
True education is something different. Man is made of three constituents,
the body, mind, and spirit. True education leads the development of all these
constituents. Spiritual development causes the development of soul force and
will force. True education is that which leads to ‘moksha’.
The maximum development of body, mind
and spirit is main objectives of true education. Physical development is
realized when all organs of the body function effectively and become active at
will. Filling a lot of information does not indicate the real development of
mind. Well educated mind always serves in the desired manner and shows positive
and adoptive health behaviour. Spiritual development brings enlightment and enable learners for self realization.
“Education can also be understood in another sense; that is, whatever
leads to a full or maximum development of all the three, the body, mind and
spirit, may also be called education. The knowledge that is being imparted
today may possibly develop the mind a little, but certainly it does not develop
the body and spirit. I have a doubt about the development of mind too, because
it does not mean that the mind has developed if we have filled it with a lot of
information. We can not therefore, say that we have educated our mind. A well
educated mind serves man in the desired manner. Our literate mind of today
pulls us hither and thither. That is what a wild horse does. Only when a wild
horse is broken in, can we call it a trained horse? How many ‘educated’ young
men of today are so trained?
Now let us examine our body.
Are we supposed to cultivate the body by playing tennis, football, or cricket
for an hour everyday? It does, certainly, build up the body. Like a wild horse,
however, the body will be strong but not trained. A trained body is healthy,
vigorous and sinewy. The hands and feet can do any desired work. A pick-axe, a
shovel, a hammer, etc. are like ornaments to a trained hand and it can wield
them. That hand can ply the spinning- wheel well as also the ring and the comb
while the feet work a loom. A trained body does not get tired in trudging 30
miles. It can scale mountains without getting breathless. Does the student
acquire such physical culture? We can assert the modern curricula do not impart
physical education in this sense.
This less said about the
spirit the better. Only a seer or a seeker can enlighten the soul. Who will
awaken that dormant spiritual energy in us all? Teachers can be had through an
advertisement. Is there a column for spiritual quest in the testimonials which
they have to produce? Even if there is one, what is its value? How can we get through advertisements
teachers who are seekers after self-realization? And education without such
enlightment is like a wall without a foundation or, to employ an English
saying, like a whited sepulcher . Inside
it there is only a corpse eaten up or being eaten by insects.” 13
Making the Right Choice
Mahatma Gandhi wanted to make a
revolutionary change in the existing system of education. He suggested that
this revolutionary change would be possible when hands on activities were given
more emphasis. It would be miss interpretation only if mind is given importance
in the process of development. Development of hands and feet is not less
important. Right type of education helps to think correctly and to discriminate
between right and wrong , good and bad and to assimilate needs and for its
right choice.
According to him, ‘Our
education has got to be revolutionized. The brain must be educated
through the hand. If I were a poet, I could write poetry on the possibilities
of the five fingers. Why should we think that the mind is everything and the
hands and feet nothing? Those who do not train their hands go through the
ordinary rut of education, lack ‘music’ in their life. All their faculties are
not trained. Mere book knowledge does not interest the child’s mind begins to
wander. The hand does the things it ought not to do, the eye sees the things it
ought not to see, the ear hears the things it ought not to hear, and they do
not do , see, or hear, respectively, what they ought to. They are not taught to
make the right choice and so their education often proves their ruin. An
education which does not teach us to discriminate between good and bad, to
assimilate the one and eschew the other is a misnomer.14
Making the Whole Man
Mahatma Gandhi believed that the true
economics of education lies in this fact that making of whole man is possible through
the harmonious development of body, heart and soul. He gave emphasis on the
training of all organs of body and it is the quickest way intellectual
development. He categorically emphasizes on the harmonious development of body
and mind with corresponding awakening of the soul. According to him,
‘Man is neither mere intellect, nor
the gross animal body, nor the heart or soul alone. A proper and harmonious
combination of all the three is required for the making of the whole man and
constitutes the true economics of education… I hold that true education of the
intellect can only come through a proper exercise and training of the bodily
organs, e.g., hands, feet, eyes, ears, nose etc. In other words an intelligent
use of the bodily organs in a child provide the best and quickest way of
developing his intellect. But unless the development of the mind and body goes
hand in hand with a corresponding awakening of the soul, the former alone would
prove to be poor lop-sided affair. By spiritual training I mean education of
the heart. A proper and all round development of the mind , therefore, can take
place only when it proceeds paripassu with
the education of the physical and spiritual faculties of the child. They
constitute an indivisible whole. According to this theory, therefore, it would
be a gross fallacy to suppose that they can be
developed piecemeal or independently of one another.’15
Education of the hand
Mahatma Gandhi advocated the
education of the hand. Training of hands is the source of skill development. So
a socially useful productive handicraft is the heart of Basic Education.
Training of hands habituates man to
think critically and creatively. Man becomes a creator of through the education
of hand. He said, ‘Literary education should follow the education of the hand
–the one gift that visibly distinguishes man from beast.’16
Self-supporting School
Mahatma Gandhi introduced craft
centric education to make the schools self-supported. Thus learning of a
productive craft followed by the related subject knowledge is the beginning of
education. He says, ‘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 nor even the beginning.
It is only one of the means whereby man and woman can be educated. Literacy in
itself is no education. I would therefore begin the child’s education by
teaching it a useful handcraft and enabling it to produce from the moment it
begins its training. Thus every school can be made self-supporting, the
condition being that the state takes over the manufactures of these schools.’17
Knowledge of Self
True education is the knowledge of
the atman or true self. It is the knowledge of God and Truth. The study of
literature, the study of sciences and the study of art have
the same goal of knowledge of the self. Mahatma Gandhi says,
‘True education is that which helps us to know the atman ,
our true self, God and Truth. To acquire this knowledge, some persons may feel
the study of literature, some for a study of physical sciences and some other
for art. But every branch of knowledge should have as its goal knowledge of the
self. That is so in the ashram.’18
Strengthening of character
Real education does not mean packing
the brain with so many facts and figures, It does not mean in passing
examinations by reading numerous books. Real education is the developing of
character. Without developing of character the pursuance of non-violence is
impossible. Formation of character is the foundation of life. He says, “In
my wanderings among the students I made the discovery at an early stage of the
movement that in order to conduct a movement of this kind character must be the
foundation. We also found that real education consists not in packing the brain
with so many facts and figures, not in passing examinations by reading numerous
books but in developing character. I do not to what extent you students of
France lay stress upon character rather than upon intellectual studies, but I
can say this that if you explore the possibilities of non-violence you will
find that without character it will prove a profitless study.19
Culture as the Foundation
Mahatma Gandhi gave importance on the
cultural aspect of education. He opined that the inner development of a person
is reflected in his conduct. Ancient tradition and culture help in the
formation of personal behaviour. The foundation of education is thus a glorious
culture of nation. He says,
‘I attach far more importance
to the cultural aspect of education than to the literacy. Culture is the
foundation, the primary thing the girls ought to get from here. It should show
in the smallest detail of your conduct and personal behavior, how you sit , how
you walk, how you dress, etc., so that anybody might be able to see at a glance
that you are the products of this
institution. Inner culture must be reflected in your speech, the way in which
treat visitors and guests, and behave towards one another and your teachers and
elders.’20
Education for a New World
Education is the way of creating a
new world order based on Truth, tolerance, peace, non-violence and global
harmony. He says, ‘Education must be of a new type for the sake of the creation
of a new world.’ 30 A
new world based on mutual cooperation, mutual understanding can be created
through the introduction of production oriented education. Students while
engaged in productive work will be able to learn self-sufficiency, dignity of
labour, mutual co-operation, social awareness, mutual understanding and
peaceful co-existence of all living beings.
Nationalism
The main object of education is to bring
national consciousness. A sense of oneness, is grown through the education.
True education enables students to serve for the progress of their own country.
They do not look for their self-interest. National interest is given priority.
National feeling is created through national type of education. According to him,
“Education is just means. If it is not accompanied by
truthfulness, firmness, patience and other virtues, it remains sterile, and
sometimes does harm instead of good. The object of education is not to be able to earn money, but to improve
oneself and to serve the country. If this object is not realized, it must be
taken that the money spent on education has been wasted.21
Public Good
Education is applied for the public good. The
villagers apply the new invention of science and technology in the field of
agriculture and cottage industry. Thus the development of village economy
enhanced. Mahatma Gandhi says,
“Knowledge is
justified only when it is put to good
use and employed in the public cause. Otherwise, as we pointed out once earlier
and as everyone will readily admit, it is like poison.22
Service of
Humanity:
Education is a tool that changes in
the attitude of learners for the service of humanity. Self-less service,
dedication to the welfare of humanity, personal ethics all the values can be
imparted through the education. Mahatma Gandhi said that the students receive
education not for their own benefit but for the service of their mother land.
“Their end was not to get more than a decent livelihood or how
to shine in life, but to serve humanity in order to serve the mother land. The
education they received ought not to be prostituted to the base use of earning
livelihood, it ought to be used to promote moral growth.23
Purity of personal Life
Absolute purity of heart is the end
of education. True education is for the purity of personal life. In the
‘Gurukul’ system of education the word student was termed as brahmachari. The brahmachari led a religious life and gain purity of heart .
Personal ethics defined by the Vedas led them to form a good moral character.
According to Mahatma Gandhi,
“Purity of personal life is the
one indispensible condition for building a sound education. …And I hope you
know what the word brahmachari means.
It means searcher after God. All our learning or recitation of the Vedas,
correct knowledge of Sanskrit, Latin, Greek and what not will avail us nothing
if they do not enable us to cultivate absolute purity of heart. The end of all
knowledge must be building of character.24
Quest for Truth:
True education helps to know the Atman, the true self, God and
truth. This knowledge is gained by the
study of literature, sciences and art. But every branch of knowledge should
have as its goal, knowledge of the self.
Devotion to duty and the spirit of service are necessary for proper
development. According to Mahatma Gandhi,
“The first necessarily brings about
development of the intellect. In doing any piece of work, however small, we
should be inspired by a holy aim and , while doing it , we should try to
understand the purpose which it will serve and the scientific method of doing
it. There is a science of every type of work---whether it be cooking,
sanitation, carpentry or spinning. Everybody who does his work with the
attitude of a student knows its science or discovers it.”
National character:
Mahatma Gandhi believed that true
education develops national character. Courage, strength, virtue, working ability
all these qualities are grown by the Basic education. These qualities
help to form a strong character of the individual and the society will be built
on the strong foundation. The nation will be developed maintaining healthy
relation with the states if the individual character is developed. He says,
‘ I would try to develop courage, strength, virtue, the
ability to forget oneself in working towards great aims. This is more important
than literacy, academic learning is only a means to this greater end. I would
feel that if we succeed in building the character of the individual, society
will take care of itself. But in a nation where character is developed in all
individuals, there can be no conflict between the dictates of one’s own conscience
and those of the state.’25
Self control :
Mahatma Gandhi considered education
as self-control. He opined that education would lead a life of self-control. In
a letter to Bhogilal he expressed his opinion.
‘True education is development. One Should, therefore, go in
for such kind of education as will bring it about. It need not be of one fixed type. Hence it is
not necessary to say anything on that subject. One should lead a life of
self-control.’26
Humility:
Mahatma Gandhi did on give emphasis on passing of examination
or obtaining degree. He emphasized on
learning to be properly used through humility. True education enables
individual to achieve humility and service to others. In a Speech at Dayaagram
jethamal college, Korachi he emphasized on achieving humility of students.
‘With this introduction I would like
to tell the students, boys and girls, that humility is the primary thing to be
acquired. One who is not humble can not put one’s learning to proper use. What
does it matter if he has obtained double first class or has stood first? One
does not achieve everything by just passing an examination. It is possible that
it may help in securing a good job or a good marriage alliance . But, if
learning is to be put to proper use, if it is to be used only for the of
service, one should acquire more and more humility every day. No service is
possible without it.’27
Development of Independent Thinking:
In a speech at Lahore Mahatma Gandhi
advised students to acquire independent thinking and opined that learning is
not for sensuous pleasures. Education liberates man and saves darkness,
sensuous pleasure and false behaviour.
‘At present the minds of the students
become dull there. They can only imitate. Instead of this, they must acquire
the power of independent thinking. We are born into this world not for
indulging in sensuous activities but for sacrifice, for restraint. We acquire
learning not for sensuous pleasures and for earning but for mukti. Education is considered necessary
to save ourselves from darkness, sensuous pleasures and capricious behavior.’28
Nai Talim:
Mahatma Gandhi proposed a new blend of
education . Nai Talim is a beautiful blend
of Craft, art, health and education. According to him,
‘ Craft, art, health and education
should all be integrated into one scheme. Nai
Talim is a beautiful blend of all the four and covers the whole education
of the individual from the time of conception to the moment of death….. Instead
of regarding craft and industry as different from education, I will regard the
former as the medium for the latter.’40
Reference:
1.
Gandhi M.K, Hind
Swaraj or Indian Home Rule, Ahmedabad, Navajiban Publishing House, 1938, (P-32-33)
2.
M. K.
Gandhi, True Education, p. 38
3.
Indian
Opinion. 18 May 1907 (CW6. PP. 484-85)
4.
Letter to Manilal Gandhi, 25 March, 1909 (CW9,
P. 208)
5.
Letter to Ramdas Gandhi (The Making of the
Mahatma. P.97)
6. Hind Swaraj, Chapter xviii, 21 November, 1990(CW 10. PP.54-55)
7.
Speech to students, Ahmedabad, 18 November 1926(CW 18, P.471)
8. Speech
to Students in Bombay, 14 February,
1915(CW13, P.23)
9. Speech
at students meeting, Agra, 23 November 1920 (CW19, P16)
10.Young India , 12 July,
1928, P. 236
11.
Interview with W. W. Hall , October 1928 (CW37,
P. 320)
12. Navajivan,
2 june 1929 (CW41, P.6)
13.
Letter to Premabehn Kantak, 5 january, 1931 (CW
45, PP. 63-64)
14.
Navjiban
Education Supplement, 28 February
1926(CW30, pp. 58-59)
15.
Discussion with teacher Trainees, Harijan,18
February, 1939(CW68, pp. 372-73)
16. Harijan, 8 may 1937 ,p. 104
17.
Harijan, 8 March 1935, p. 28
18.
Harijan, 8 May 1937, p. 104
19.
Harijan,
10 July 1932 (CW 50,P.182)
. 20. Speech
at meeting of students, Marseilles , Young India, 1 October 1931 (CW 47,P.422)
20.
Speech at Kasturba Balika Ashram,20 April 1946
(CW 84, p.36)
21.
Harijan, 1947, p. 494
22. Indian Opinion, 9 March 1907(CW6, p. 361)
23. Speech at Voorhee’s college, vellore,
30 August 1927 (CW, pp.422-23)
24. From a microfilm of the Gujrati: M .
M. U./II, 10 July 1932 (CW 50, p.182)
25. Remarks of mankind, 1932, pp. 104-05
26. Letter to Bhogilal, 20 February 1933 (
CW53, p, 366)
27. Speech at Dayaagram jethamal college,
korachi,10 july 1934 (CW58 , p.164)
28. 39. Speech at students’
meeting, Lahore, 13 july 1934 (CW58,P. 183)
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