Lord Curzon’s educational policy
Answers
Answer:
lord curzon educational policy
Explanation:
The chief-architect of the educational policy published on March, 11, 1904 was Lord Curzon. It was a very significant Government Resolution. So the year, 1904, may be considered as an important landmark in the history of the educational development in India. In respect of organisational administration of the elementary schools, curriculum, appointment of teachers, management, finance etc. a beginning was made for bigger changes to follow in course of time.
It was stated in the Resolution that “the shortcomings of the present system in point of quality arc well known. Four out of five villages are without a school. Three boys out of four grow up without education and only one girl in library attends any kind of school”.
As regards higher education the Resolution stated that the scope was unduly narrowed, quality of education un-satisfactory and that those who failed to obtain employment under the Government were ill fitted for other pursuits. The courses of studies were purely literary and was examination ridden. Instead of intelligent comprehension of the subject matter in the attention was paid to memorization and mechanical repetition.As much emphasis was given to English education the cultivation of vernaculars was neglected. The scope of technical education was very much limited and was not so useful for general masses for bringing about economical development of the country. The resolution suggested for the establishment of Agricultural Colleges and provision of training in Indian handicrafts and industries. The Resolution did not overlook to give concrete suggestions for the improvement of women education through the establishment of training schools for women teachers and model schools for girls.
Pertaining to secondary education the Resolution opined that the standard of education at this level was far from satisfactory owing to the mushroom growth of schools under incapable teachers, inadequate furniture, lack of library, proper building etc. Hence for quality education at this level the Resolution recommended for proper inspection, control and systematic grant- in-aid.
With regard to the medium of instruction the Resolution observed “English has no place and should have no place in the scheme of primary education. As a general rule, a child should not be allowed to learn English as a language until he has made some progress in the primary stages of instruction and has received through grounding in his mother tongue”. So at the secondary stage mother tongue as the medium of instruction was emphasized.
In the sphere of primary education the Resolution opined, “primary education is the instruction of the masses, through the vernacular in such subjects as will best stimulate their intelligence and fit them for their position in life”. The Government of India fully accepted the proposition that the active expansion of primary education is one of the most important duties of the state.The resolution further pointed out that primary education had been paid insufficient attention and inadequate share of the public funds and in view of the rising tide of population the expansion was insufficient. The most significant aspect of the resolution was that the provincial Governments received large grants of money from the centres. The latter confirmed the policy of ‘Utility’ and ‘efficiency’ for the future educational development and emphasis on the improvement of existing schools as far as possible.
The Educational policy devised by Lord Curzon has given a correct analysis of the brighter and darker aspects of the contemporary Indian education; but unfortunately though the diagnosis was correct, the remedy suggested was neither appropriate nor opportune. Lord Curzon was right in many things he said; but it was the way in which he wanted to reform that raised grave suspicions in the minds of the educated Indians. They thought that this reform move camouflaged some deep political motive remarked Sri A.N. Basu in his book ‘Education in Modern India’.