ISSN: 2347-7474 International Journal Advances in Social Science and Humanities Available online at: www.ijassh.com

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Mahatma Gandhi and His Idea of Basic Education: An Historical Appraisal

Dey Sweta

Department of History, University of Calcutta, India.

Abstract

In spite of his other preoccupations-political, social, economic, and religious; Mahatma Gandhi’s interest in education had always been profound and abiding. Gandhiji’s philosophy of education was not the upshot of any study of modern or ancient educational movements in India or elsewhere. This educational theory is ‘original’, ‘new’ and ‘epoch making. It evolved out of his wide and long experiences of the political, social and economic life of his country. Therefore it was apposite for his motherland. Gandhi realized that at an early age education was therapy for all the ills and evils with which contemporary India had been afflicted. This paper aims to understand and review Gandhian principle of basic education though the writing of Gandhi himself. His several books on education help this essay to review and assess the significance of his ideas of basic education from a historical perspective, which not only changed the educational system of India, but ushered in a social revolution.

Keywords: Mahatma Gandhi, Basic Education, Nail Talim, Handicrafts, Social Change.

early age education was therapy for all the Mahatma Gandhi and His Idea of ills and evils with which contemporary India Basic Education: An Historical had been afflicted. Appraisal His Ideas on Education In spite of his other preoccupations- political, social, economic, and religious; Gandhiji emphasized another essential Mahatma Gandhi’s interest in education had condition of the educational process, that it always been profound and abiding. Gandhi, must be work centered. He elaborated his the father of the nation gave the format of thoughts on education in Harijan dated 31st education for modern India which can be July, 1937. He wrote, “By education I meant called the first blue print of the national an all-round drawing out of the best in child system of education which is job centered, and man-body, mind and spirit. Literacy is value based and mass oriented. It provided not the end of education nor even the for manual work along with intellectual beginning. It is only one of the means exercise at a central place in the curriculum whereby man and woman can be educated. at all stages. It is the first model of Literacy in itself is no education. I would ‘Vocationalisation’ of Education in India. therefore begin the child’s education by teaching it a useful handicraft and enabling Gandhiji’s philosophy of education was not it to produce from the moment it begins its the upshot of any study of modern or ancient training. educational movements in India or elsewhere. This educational theory is I hold that the highest development of the ‘original’, ‘new’ and ‘epoch making. It mind and the soul is possible under such a evolved out of his wide and long experiences system of education. Only every handicraft of the political, social and economic life of his has to be taught not merely mechanically as country [1]. Therefore it was apposite for his is done today but scientifically, i.e., the child motherland. Gandhi realized that at an should know the why and the wherefore of

Dey Sweta | January 2017| Vol.5 | Issue 1 |14-22 14 Available online at: www.ijassh.com every process. I am not writing this without By this the children could get a practical some confidence, because it has the backing knowledge of every craft which would of experience. This method is being adopted automatically teach them every possible more or less completely wherever spinning is subject in a joyful manner. Therefore the being taught to workers. children would have an all-round development which was constrained in I have myself taught sandal-making and reading and learning process. If children even spinning on these lines with good were guided but proper teachers handicrafts results. This method does not exclude can teach them dignity of labour, all the knowledge of history and geography. But I primary subjects, ability to write, find that this is best taught by transmitting intellectual development and love for such general information by word of mouth. indigenous craft and patriotism. This was One imparts ten times as much in this the exact education system which was manner as by reading and writing. The signs needed in the contemporary India. of the alphabet may be taught later when the pupil has learnt to distinguish wheat As regards to primary education Gandhi from chaff and when he has somewhat believed that it should be at least of seven developed his or her tastes. This is a years with all the basic subjects with a revolutionary proposal, but it saves immense vocation. He clearly rejected English in the labour and enables a student to acquire in primary classes. He unfolded himself in his one year what he may take much longer to ‘Basic National education’: “Primary learn. Education, extending over a period of seven years or longer and covering all the subjects This means all round economy. Of course, up to the matriculation standard, except the pupil learns mathematics whilst he is English, plus a vocation used as the vehicle learning his handicraft. Given the right kind for drawing out the minds of boys and girls of teachers, our children will be taught the in all departments of knowledge, should take dignity of labour and learn to regard it as an the place of what passes to-day under the integral part and means of their intellectual name of primary, middle and high school growth and to realize that it is patriotic to education”[3]. pay for their training through their labour. The Stages of Nai Talim as Defined The core of my suggestion is that handicrafts are to be taught, not merely for productive by Gandhi work, but for developing the intellect of the The First Stage pupils. You have to train the boys in one Gandhi gave a revolutionary proposal in the occupation or another. Around this special proframme of Nai Talim, he turned the occupation you will train up his mind, his conventional education system upside down body, his handwriting, his artistic sense and with his course of education. This New so on. He will be a master of the craft he Education has been described as “Education learns…” [2]. for Life”. Thus usually accepted educational

procedure is that the educational process For him mere literacy was not education, it begins with the earliest years of childhood was only one of the means of education. Bit and in the case of the majority of children, one literate man necessarily must not be ends with the primary stages. For a educated. Education means a lot, an all fortunate few, it extends through the round development, where body, mind and secondary, high and university stages. In inner self correlates with one another. Nai Talim, however, the educational process Handicraft can draw out best of development is approached from a different perspective. It of the mind and the soul from the child. seems clear that if this New Education is to Guided by his own experience Gandhi be effective, its foundation must go deeper; it believed that handicrafts should be taught to must begin not with the children but with the children scientifically i. e the technical the parents and the community. The first know hows has to be taught to the children. stage in the educational programme is

therefore adult education, that is the

Dey Sweta | January 2017| Vol.5 | Issue 1 |14-22 15 Available online at: www.ijassh.com education of the community as a whole and of humanity, or (in the case of those strong of every individual member, for a happy, natural bent and aptitude) to some form of healthy, clean and self-reliant life. professional training in a University. The Second Stage The Fifth Stage The second stage is that of pre-basic The fifth or university stages of Nai Talim education or the education of children under will demand much careful thought in the seven. As soon as the child is independent of near futures in order that the principles of mother and is able to walk to the school, the education for life and through life may sphere of the educational process is extended permanent the work of the Universities and from the home to the school. Pre-basic so that these may effectively serve the real education, therefore in the fullest sense, is needs of mankind, without losing say of the the education of children under seven for a distinctive and valuable university tradition development of all their faculties, conducted of sound and accurate scholarship or the zest by the school teachers in co-operation with for knowledge for its own sake. The chapter the parents and the community in schools, in on Rural Universities in the University the house and in the village. Nowadays play Commission Report referred to above is a schools or pre-schools took the responsibility stimulating contribution to practical thought of this pre- basic education mostly. on these lines.

The Objectives behind Nai Talim The programme of pre-basic education includes physical nurture, medical care, The objectives of basic education can be personal and community cleanliness and summarized as a two-fold aim, each part of health, self-helps, social training, creative which is integrally bound up with the other. activities (both in work and play), speech training, the development of the All boys and girls in India should grow up as mathematical sense, nature study, art and citizens of a new social order, based on co- music. operative work as envisaged by Nai Talim and with an understanding of their rights, The Third Stage responsibilities and obligations in such a The third stage is the eight years’ society. programme of basic education for boys and girls between the seventh and the fifteenth Every individual child should have full year. The objectives programme and detailed opportunity for the balanced and syllabuses recommended for this stage of harmonious development of all his faculties education discussed in the later part of the and should acquire the capacity for self- essay. reliance in every aspect of a clean, healthy The Fourth Stage and cultured life, together with an understanding of the social and moral The fourth stage is that of post-basic implications of such a life. education, which he experimented in Sevagram and Bihar. This is to be conceived A few brief comments on this statement of as the educational nurture of adolescent objectives may be of help to the teacher in youth from the fifteenth to the eighteenth maintaining the true atmosphere and years of life. While basic education may be healthy balance of activities in the daily described as planned as “education through work of the school [4].1 Therefore the basic self-sufficiency”. The educational community intentions were to brought a social change at this stage should be residential, possibly and to brought out all round development of taking the form of a “school-village”, should the child. provide opportunity for a great ranges of productive activities which will both support The Programme of Work organized knowledge. The post-basic school should lead on naturally either to the The programme of work will be planned responsibilities of adult family life in one or round the four or five activities which other of the normal productive occupations experience has shown to be of the most

Dey Sweta | January 2017| Vol.5 | Issue 1 |14-22 16 Available online at: www.ijassh.com fundamental importance for life and which economic self-support alone, but it must offer the richest educational opportunity. include economic self-support both for its These activities are: own sake and as very valuable means of character training.  The practice of clean and healthy living.  The practice of self-reliance. The practice of self-reliance therefore  The practice of a productive basic craft. includes working for self-support in food, by  The practice of citizenship in a community. vegetable growing, agriculture, the storing of  The practice of recreational and cultural food stuffs and the cooking of meals. The activities. study of much general elementary science, such as botany, zoology, chemistry and Cleanliness and health have been given the physics, will be taken up naturally in first place in the syllabus, as our experience connection with this work. with village children and teachers during the past ten years has shown the primary Self-support in clothing includes learning all importance of these problems in our national the processes by which the cotton is grown life. The general ignorance regarding rules and the cloth manufactured and sufficient of personal and community hygiene and skill in needlework and dress-making to health is so great in our country that it is make and repair simple garments for oneself only by making it the first subject in our and for younger children. It naturally programme that we can hope to bring about involves much practice in arithmetical and a change. It is also expected that the some understanding of simple mathematical activities connected with individual and and physical concepts. collective cleanliness and health will be the first educational programme in the school The practice of self-reliance should also day. In the earlier grades the programme include learning how to maintain buildings, will consist mainly of practical activities tools and common household equipment of with oral explanation and instruction all kinds in good repair. This is closely wherever necessary. In the higher grades connected with the practice of good general science and mathematics, language citizenship in the home. and social studies may be taught in The Practice of a Productive Basic connection with the activities. Craft

It will be helpful to indicate briefly the The following three crafts are recommended various types of knowledge, skill, attitude as those which have been proved by and habit which should be correlated with experience to be most suited for children of these five centres of activity in the basic school age and most valuable for programme of the basic school. developing intelligence and general knowledge: The Practice of Clean and Healthy Living  Agriculture and gardening, This will include the development necessary  Spinning and weaving. for individual health and cleanliness and  Wood and metal work. community hygiene. It will include the practical skill to carry out all types of The basic craft will be learned stage by stage cleaning and sanitation work efficiently. It up to a considerably higher level of efficiency will involve physical education and the study than is involved in the concept of all round of the elements of physiology, hygiene, self-reliance described in the previous sanitation and dietetics in a scientific section. It will also be the chief centre of manner. correlation for the “tool subjects” of language and mathematics and for the study of The Practice of Self-reliance general science and will also involve a This concept, as has been pointed out in the considerable amount of social studies. It introduction, is of more far-reaching should be clear at the same time that every educational significance than that of

Dey Sweta | January 2017| Vol.5 | Issue 1 |14-22 17 Available online at: www.ijassh.com centre of activity can make its contribution behind us to state the standard in terms of to the mastery of the tool subjects, just as the new educational objectives and practice. every centre of activity can contribute to the It was therefore necessary to use the development of a strong and healthy existing educational terminology and this physique. led to some confusion and misunderstanding. The workers in basic The Practice of Citizenships in a education are, therefore, often asked Community whether the pupils who have completed the This will include, on the practical side, the basic course have attained, in particular development of habits and attitudes of co- subjects such as history, geography, operation and neighbour lines at home, at mathematics, algebra, etc., the standard school, in the village or local community and prescribed in the matriculation syllabus. in relation to the State and to humanity as a whole. On the theoretical side it will involve It is possible now, after nearly twelve years a study of history, geography, civics and of of practical (page-24) work, to indicate the sociology and economics in an elementary standard aimed at in terms of the New form related to the conditions and needs of Education. We must remember however, the locality. that we are only in the beginning of the The Practice of Recreational and experiment and can only indicate the Cultural Activities standard in outline. As the work goes forward and we gain deeper insight into and These activities can be of wide range and practical working knowledge of this New great variety. Games and dancing, music Education, we shall be able to state this and dram, the celebration of festivals of standard more clearly and in greater detail. social, religious, historical and national significance, will all be included. They will The standard of attainment to be expected at involved the study of good literature in the the end of the course can best be stated mother tongue, an introduction to the under seven major heads, as follows: national language and training in the  The capacity for clean and healthy living. appreciation of good art and music. The aesthetic side of the children’s nature will be The will include: developed largely through these activities [5]. o A harmoniously developed body, healthy The Standard of Attainment and agile capable of doing hard physical work. We have now to consider in outline what we o Right and regular habits of health and may expect the ordinary child in the schools cleanliness, a high standard of personal to achieve in the course of eight years’ hygiene and an understanding of its social training. and moral aspects.

When Gandhiji first placed the scheme of o A properly developed sense of community National Education before the All India cleanliness and aknowledge of the National Education Conference in 1937, he fundamental principles of village described the standard of attainment to be sanitation. aimed at, in the following words: o The capacity, to organize programmes of “The course of primary education should be cleanliness for house, school and local extended at least to seven years and should community. include the general knowledge gained up to the matriculation standard less English and Elementary knowledge of the organs and plus a substantial vocation.” functions of the human body, the fundamental rules of health and the This statement was made before the principles of a balanced diet (carried out principles of basic education were actually with locality available foodstuffs). put into practice and we had no experience

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A knowledge of simple first aid, common health and the provision for proper local medicinal herbs and the cause and sanitation. prevention, treatment and nursing of common ailments.  Capacity for the Responsibility of Citizenship.  The capacity for self-reliance in food, clothing and the repair and maintenance of This will include: ordinary buildings and tools. This will include: o An understanding of the ideology of a co- operative social order and ability to work o The ability to produce cloth from raw co-operatively with other people. cotton. o The ability to grow sufficient food for one’s o An understanding of the benefits of a own consumption. decentralized economy based on regional o The ability to cook a simple meal. self-sufficiency and the practice of cottage o Knowledge of the principles and processes industries and of the nature of a healthy connected with the storing, cooking and relationship between village and town. serving of food for a family or a community, including budgeting and o An elementary knowledge of the place and maintenance of kitchen accounts. value of cooperative societies and the o Knowledge of the use and care of common principals involved in their organization. household tools. o The ability to ride a bicycle and to keep it o An elementary knowledge of the economic, in good order including simple running social and political problems of India and repairs. the world as gained through the intelligent study of newspapers and magazines.  The capacity for self-sufficiency through a selected basic craft. o An elementary knowledge of the geography and history of India and the world, o This will involve the attainment of especially in so far as it is necessary to the knowledge and skill sufficient to enable understanding of present conditions. This the pupil if necessary to earn his own should include knowledge of the founders living (i.e. balanced diet, simple clothing and teachings of the great world religious and other minimum needs) through the and the religious, social and historical practice of the craft. significance of the fairs and festivals locally celebrated.  Acquaintance with the fundamental scientific, mathematical and mechanical  Sufficient mastery over tool subjects such principles as they are exemplified in the as language and mathematics to enable phenomena of nature and the activities of the pupils to carry on their daily activities ordinary life. efficiently and to further their knowledge after the completion of the basic course. This will include: This will involve, in languages: o An elementary knowledge of mechanical and mathematical principles involved in o The ability to speak clearly and with the use of tools and equipment connected reasonable fluency in public and school with the basic and other crafts. assemblies on subjects of practical importance in the school or village o An acquaintance with the physical, community. chemical and biological principles involved in growing food and cotton, in cooking and o The ability to express ideas clearly and other household arts, in the processes of accurately in writing and to draw up a well the basic craft and in the maintenance of planned report. o

Dey Sweta | January 2017| Vol.5 | Issue 1 |14-22 19 Available online at: www.ijassh.com o The ability to speak, read and write simple where the average of a class is much higher Hindi, when this is not the mother tongue. or lower than that indicated here, parts of the syllabus may have to be modified  In arithmetic, accuracy and reasonable accordingly. Other modifications will no speed should be attained in the following doubt be made to suit actual circumstance. processes related to the needs of actual Throughout it is expected that in the course life: of daily school life there will be frequent reference back to material dealt with in an The significance of numbers. earlier grade, so that a practical knowledge of the skills and subjects taught, once o The four fundamental operations (addition, acquired will not be lost [6]. subtraction, multiplication and division) applied to common weights and measures, Thus we see that Gandhi’s conception of money, time and distance. education is indigenous and based upon the o Practical mensuration. social conditions and future needs of the o Elementary account keeping. country. The main function of education is to o Use of the unitary method, the rule of fit the individual to play his role in the three, ratio and proportion, problems in society in a worthy manner [7]. speed and work. Significance of Basic Education

 The capacity to appreciate true art, form Gandhi thus had a dream of achieving a good taste, entertain the community and silent social revolution through his use leisure time with profit and pleasure. education programme. He wrote, “My plan to impart primary education through the This will include: medium of village handicrafts like spinning and carding etc., is thus conceived as the  An acquaintance with good literature in spearhead of a silent social revolution the mother tongue. fraught with the most far-reaching  An acquaintance with some good examples consequences [8]. The object of his education of pictorial and plastic art and was to transform the village children into experience of self-expression through modern villagers [9]. It was meant to uphold drawing, painting, clay modeling etc. non-violence and was to be of a non exploitative character.  A knowledge of some good music, classical and traditional and ability to sing More importantly, the aim of Gandhian devotional and national songs in chorus. education was not merely to prepare the  An acquaintance with the traditional individual for employment but to make the decorative arts of the locality and the individual self- sufficient. For Gandhi the power to discriminate between good and goal of education was character building. He bad taste in the adornment of the person advocated that National Education had a and the home. great role to play in the formulation of self-  Some experience in helping to organize rule. The future of the individual and the dramas festivals and other cultural progress of the nation were thus wholly activities for activities for the school and dependent upon education. Gandhi never the local community. lost sight of the manifold problems and challenges that confronted the nation. His Note: In the detailed syllabus which follows, prescription thus envisaged a meaningful, the division of work grade-wise is suggested useful and relevant education that would not obligatory. The syllabus to an elastic cater to the needs of a post independent one. It indicates the amount and kind of Indian society [10]. But Gandhi’s vision of knowledge that should be acquired by the providing social justice through the adoption end of the eight years course and the of a village based programme remained subject-matter has been arranged in an unrealized to a large extent as independent order roughly corresponding to the India opted to cast its lot with the increasing maturity of the children. In cases Macaulayn paradigm [11].

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The Third All-India Conference on Basic educational needs of little children. He has education held at Sevagram in January 1945 stated the essential elements of a universal reviewed the working of Basic education in method of education, from the time a little the light of the provincial reports presented child shares in its mother’s work. Through on the occasion and was satisfied ‘that the whole process of growth of personality to despite the adverse circumstances, Basic the time when the nature man of disciplined education had made a headway and its mind and character works at the side of the influence had been marked by the master in the achievement of a great design. development of the child’s personality. The essence of this philosophy is that People had recognized its worth. The education should combine practice in the development of citizenship was so marked everyday processes of living and working, from the review of the reports that it was with more formal training. This is a considered to be the strongest point in fundamental concept which is steadily favour of the scheme and provision of it on a gaining support and application in the very large scale was contemplated [12]. educational world [14].”

In September 1945, while addressing the In its appraisal of Basic education in 1956, New Adult Education Committee Gandhi the Assessment Committee had every said, “Education for life does not mean justification for coming to the conclusion: education for the duration of life, but education for the sake of life …. Adult ‘There is unanimous testimony that Basic education is a matter of teaching the art of school children are more alert, more full of living. A man who masters the art of living question and more eager to know, more has become a complete human being. Keep resourceful, more resourceful, more this vision before you; let this ideal of Nai responsible and more concerned with their Talim inspire your work [13]. surroundings. They also exhibit more powers of expression and more of the qualities of an This scheme of education was accepted as integrated developing personality. the basis of university and secondary Intellectually also they show more keenness education in the report of the University to analyze, understand and piece together Commission (1949). In the chapter of the whatever knowledge is gained. All these are repeat dealing with Rural Universities it is undoubtedly educational gains. But as we described in the following words: have stated, the whole of Basic education is yet only in the making and much more effort “The method outlined in its rudiments by and care will have to go into the work before Gandhiji is not just a way of meeting the Basic educational schools can give us the real picture of their possibilities [15]. References 1 Shant, Bala, Gandhian Conception of 5 Gandhi, M. K., Basic National Education, Education- Its Relevance in Present Times in Complete Syllabus for Grades I to VIII, The Indian journal of Political Science, Vol. 66, Hindusthani Talim Sangh, Segaon, Wardha, No. 3, July-September, 2005, p. 534. 28th May, 1988,pp. 20-23. 2 Gandhi, M. K, Educational Reconstruction, 6 Gandhi, M. K., Basic National Education, Wardha, India, 1938, p. 2 and M. K. Gandhi, Complete Syllabus for Grades I to VIII, “My View on Education” in Hingorani, Ananda Hindusthani Talim Sangh, Segaon, Wardha, T., Pocket Gandhi Series, No. 20, Bharatiya 28th May, 1988,p p. 65-103. Bidya Bhavan, Bombay, 1970, p. 95. 7 Shant, Bala, Gandhian Conception of 3 Gandhi, M. K., Basic National Education, Education- Its Relevance in Present Times in Complete Syllabus for Grades I to VIII, The Indian journal of Political Science, Vol. 66, Hindusthani Talim Sangh, Segaon, Wardha, No. 3, July-September, 2005, p. 544. 28th May, 1988, pp. 8-9. 8 Gandhi, M. K ed., Harijan, Ahmedabad, India, 4 Gandhi, M. K., Basic National Education, October, 9, 1937 Complete Syllabus for Grades I to VIII, 9 Gandhi, M. K, The Constructive Programme- Hindusthani Talim Sangh, Segaon, Wardha, Its Meaning and Place, Navajivan Publishing 28th May, 1988,p p. 11-17. House, Ahmedabad, 1981, p. 18. Dey Sweta | January 2017| Vol.5 | Issue 1 |14-22 21 Available online at: www.ijassh.com 10 Veerraju, Gummadi, Gandhian Philosophy-Its 13 Sykes, Marjorie, The Story of Nai Talim: Fifty Relevance Today, Decent Books, New Delhi, Years of Education at Sevagram, Wardha, India, 1999, pp. 100-104. 1988, p. 51. 11 Chakraborty, Rachana, “In Quest of 14 Gandhi, M. K., Basic National Education, Alternative Civilization : The Gandhian Complete Syllabus for Grades I to VIII, Education Revisited” in Kumar Ravindra ed. Hindusthani Talim Sangh, Segaon, Wardha, Education, Peace And Development, by Kalpaz 28th May, 1988, pp. 10-11. Publications, India, 2012, pp. 103-104. 15 Report of the Assessment Committee on Basic 12 Kanasara, L., Survey of Basic education Education, Ministry of Education, Government During the Past Thirty years and its Effect on of India, 1956, p. 54. Education in General and Society in Particular, Ph.D. Thesis, Bombay University, 1977, p. 256.

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