The Trends of Education in Odisha During the British Rule in India
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ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review n matters of education, no interest was shown school at Puri was started in 1835 and this was Iby the British East India Company for a long closed down very soon as local opposition time after Odisha came under their control. The mounted high against English education and as Missionaries became active to spread Christianity local teachers were not available to run the in Odisha. To achieve this objective they felt the institution. The second school was Cuttack Zila need of educating their Odia converts on reading School which came under the management of and writing, particularly reading the New Government in 1844 from the hands of Testament which was obligatory for every Missionaries who could not run the school for Christian to read daily as a custom of the want of money. Only a very few schools were Christians. So they established an English Charity run by Missionaries in their own effort. Lord School at Cuttack as early as 1823. Even by the Hardinge introduced a scheme for providing end of Company’s rule in 1857 the condition of vernacular education in 1842. Thus only eight education in Odisha was rather lamentable. The schools of such a type were opened in Odisha report of the Inspector of Schools, South West before 1884. As regards secondary education Bengal for the year 1857-58 gave the following Cuttack school was the only one of lower picture : There were three Zillah Schools in the secondary type. In higher education no institution Headquarters of the three districts and the existed by 1854. The Trends of Education in Odisha during the British Rule in India Dr. Manaswini Dash Dr. Ranjit Kumar Pati number of pupils on the roll was- Balasore English The period from 1854 to 1882 may be School- 80, Cuttack- 113, Puri - 89. called as the period of childhood in the spread of eduation in Odisha. During this period the grant- There was one Anglo Vernacular school in-aid system recommended by Wood’s Despatch at Bhadrak which received a grant-in-aid of 30 of 1854 began to work. Thus attempts were rupees per month from the Government. Besides, made by the Government to manage the Hardinge there were only 16 vernacular schools in the whole schools or Middle vernacular schools directly by province. (Patra, 1977, PP. 321-29) meeting the whole expenditure from Government Between 1803-1912 within a span of exchequer. Many private managed primary more than one hundred years of British rule in schools on grant-in aid basis were run by Odisha education passed through three well enthusiastic philanthropists. Primary schools both defined stages exhibiting three distinct trends. The mixed type (boys & girls) and separately for boys first stage that ended with 1854 might be called were run by public enthusiasts. Regarding a stage of infancy as English education just began Secondary Education the Cuttack School, Puri based on the theory of downward filtration and Zilla School and Balasore Zilla School were was thus confined to a feed. For example solitary established and purely managed by Government. 78 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER - 2017 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 No private effort in this direction was forthcoming Inspector, Deputy Inspector and Sub-Inspectors as the people of Odisha in general were poor and were posted to provide a strong administrative also apathetic towards English education. As set up for efficient management of educational regards higher education the Ravenshaw College matters. Similarly the University with Vice was set up by Government during this period. Chancellor, Senate and affiliated Colleges were Thus the period which is called the period of set up. childhood exhibited a distinct trend of English Another trend was also noticed after education getting a foothold in Odisha and the 1902 when Lord Curzen introduced the policy demand for English education was found to be of ‘quality’ and ‘efficiency’ in place of more coming from the people of the higher and higher expansion. This had a deterring effect for Odisha middle class echelons of the society. where expansion did not take place commensurate The third period that is from 1882-1912 with the population. The result was the demand may be called as the period of adolescence in of compulsory primary education not only in English education of Odisha. Many changes Odisha but in all parts of India, also a proposal came in quick succession in the field of primary mooted by G.K. Gokhle in the Viceroy’s Council education. Hunter Commission of 1882 in 1905 and 1911.In the field of female education recommended for provision of more grant-in-aid there was not sign of any trend- setters playing to primary schools and desired to see the private their role. But the guardians who already received enterprise playing the main role not only in primary English education began to think in terms of education but in secondary and higher education providing English education not only to their boys also. The Municipalities, the local Boards and but also to the girls. District Boards were required to discharge their Thus all the different trends as discussed responsibilities in running primary schools, for both above point out one broad fact that English boys and girls. The Guru training schools were education which was a stranger at first and as established to prepare properly trained teachers such completely opposed by the Odishans began for primary schools, M.V. Schools and M.E. to be an acquaintance of the Odishans by 1885 Schools. The payment by result system was and in the beginning of 20th Century. It proved introduced to encourage the teachers. In the field itself to be a friend of the mass of Odisha who of secondary education and higher education began to cry out in favour of providing English though the progress of schools and colleges was not much but the clear trend of favourable attitude education to their boys and girls. was discernible. References: The other trends worthy of attention were 1. Report of the Inspector of Schools, South West the awakening of nationalist movement in India Bengal, 1858-59. and the participation of young educated to be accelerated. This was further accentuated by the 2. Patra, K.M.: Odisha Under the East India Company, 1977, Vidyapuri, Cuttack. leaders of Odisha agitating for amalgamation of all Odia speaking tract into one province of Odisha which was yet to be born. Another trend very clearly visible was the Dr. Manaswini Dash, Lecturer in Education, Women’s evolution of State system of education. After the College, Paralakhemundi - 761200. Despatch of 1854 a special department known Dr. Ranjit Kumar Pati, Reader in English, S.K.C.G. (Auto) as Department of Public Instruction was created, College, Paralakhemundi - 761200, E-mail: the Director being the head and below him the [email protected]. SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER - 2017 79.