Question

A essay on Mahatma Gandhi and his education philosophy

Answer 1

     Gandhiji’s educational philosophy was based on a number of principles.  They were to make a person complete in terms of moral, ethical in addition to literacy.  Physical training is also to be a component.  Education should develop free thinking and not just vocation oriented.   Education must make Indians with good character and morals to form an ideal society in free Independent India.  It should not develop attitudes of slavery.  Education should be in local languages rather than in foreign languages.  Education must develop allround personality and not just intellectual.  Education must impart wisdom and lessons instead of knowledge and literacy.

       Arts (handicrafts), culture, crafts, drawing, painting are all supposed to be part of one’s education.  He preferred people to learn to spin charkha and weaving not just for making a living, but also for the principles they inculcate in a person.  Any education must make a person think without a limit, and make him/her self-reliant.

   Brahmacharya is important for a student.  Seriousness was important.  There was no place for smoking, drinking etc. in his philosophy.

      Gandhiji’s principles are formed into “Nai Talim” meaning “best education for all”.  So it means there should not be any discrimination.  He was against corporatization, industrialization which influenced education by orienting education to vocations.

      Gandhiji’s view is that education is imparted in direct form from a guru to students.  So use of local languages is very important in education.  Gandhiji’s ideal principles have been followed in many schools since a few decades, though not in the name of Gandhiji or Nai Talim.  Gandhiji’s education philosophy leads one a spiritual life.