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Indian Philosophers on Early Education

Gandhi made important contributions to early childhood education in India. He believed that education for children under 7, called pre-basic education, should involve cooperation between parents, teachers, and the community. According to Gandhi, pre-basic education should be inexpensive and accessible to most children, involve playful and creative learning, and develop self-sufficiency. The first experiment in pre-basic education based on Gandhi's ideas was started in 1945. Gandhi also emphasized the spiritual, intellectual, and physical development of children; activity-oriented and craft-centered curricula; correlating education with children's lives; and the teacher playing the role of a nurturing mother.

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1K views3 pages

Indian Philosophers on Early Education

Gandhi made important contributions to early childhood education in India. He believed that education for children under 7, called pre-basic education, should involve cooperation between parents, teachers, and the community. According to Gandhi, pre-basic education should be inexpensive and accessible to most children, involve playful and creative learning, and develop self-sufficiency. The first experiment in pre-basic education based on Gandhi's ideas was started in 1945. Gandhi also emphasized the spiritual, intellectual, and physical development of children; activity-oriented and craft-centered curricula; correlating education with children's lives; and the teacher playing the role of a nurturing mother.

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tanu
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EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT

Lesson 15: Contributions of Indian Philosophers to Early Childhood Education

Mahatma Gandhi

In this lesson contributions of some Indian educators, philosophers like Mahathma Gandhi,
Rabindranath Tagore, Aurobindo, Jiddu Krishna Murthi, Tara Bai Modak and Zakheer Hussain on early
childhood education have been discussed.

Contributions of Mahatma Gandhi to ECE

The idea of preschool is of a new and recent origin in the history of Indian education. Prior to 1937, the
preschools such as Montessori schools, Kindergarten and Nursery schools did not cater to Indian
children. In 1937, Gandhiji gave a sound ideological basis for new education system called Nai-Talim or
Basic education, which didn’t talk about preschool education. Later he focused on education for children
under seven years which is called Prebasic education.

Pre-basic education

Pre-basic education in the fullest sense is ‘the education of children under seven for a development of
all their faculties conducted by the school teachers in cooperation with the parents and the community
in schools and at homes’.

Essentials of pre-basic education according to Gandhiji are as follows:

Home is the first center of child’s education and learning.

The teacher and parents should cooperate in carrying out the education of young children.

Preschool education must not be expensive, so that it can reach the majority of child population.

A child has to be active, creative and playful and has to learn things through the medium of play.

An attempt should be made to develop self-efficiency in children.

Based on Gandhiji’s above mentioned ideas of preschool education the first experiment in pre-basic
education was started in 1945 in the village of Sevagram, Wardha, in Maharastra state.

The programme of instruction in a pre basic school is geared to the needs of the following four groups
Stage:1- Conception to birth

Stage 2- Birth to 2 ½ years

Stage 3- 2 ½ to 4 years

Stage 4: 4 to 7 years

In first two stages education involves both mother and child. Opportunities are provided to the mothers
to learn more about new trends and scientific methods of child rearing, health and hygiene and mother
craft. Children are given custodial care and medical attention.

The children from 2 ½ to 4 years are provided play or group activities. Children need to be given full
freedom to act, to move about and to choose their own activities. Teacher must supervise and guide the
child.

The children after 4 years can participate in definite purposeful activities such as cleaning the class
room, watering plants, washing vessels, measuring and weighing tins, bringing water, drawing and
painting and other similar activities. Teacher must understand likes and dislikes of the child.

Gandhiji’s views on other aspects of early childhood education

Concept of education: According to Gandhiji good education is that which stimulates the spiritual,
intellectual and physical faculties of the children.

Curriculum: The curriculum is to be craft centered and activity oriented/centered.

Emphasis must be given to the construction activities during preschool level. He pointed out that
through craft children understand concrete life situations. The craft is to be taught not merely for
productive work but for developing the intellectual capacities of the children.

Methods and approaches: Correlation is an important method of basic education. It is the technique
which binds education with child’s life.

Books: He discouraged the use of many books, especially books with formal writings. Especially the first
year in primary school should be completely without books and the teacher should use oral method to
save the child from a “Tyranny of words”.

Role of teacher: The teacher has to play the role of a mother. She has to nurture the child, live with him
and bring him to the level of greater maturity.
Religious education: He emphasized classical principles of ethics and maturity in general rather than
religious teaching.

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