Gandhi's Educational Philosophy of Naturalism
Essay on Educational Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi
Education, to Gandhiji, was a means to achieve perfection of individuality on the one hand and an instrument of service to the nation on the other. Thus, individual and social both the aims of education were considered by him equally important. "By education mean an all-round drawing out of the best in child and man-body, and spirit", he said.
This in other words meant development of whole child, the whole personality of the child. Harmonious development of all the aspects of human personality such as physical, intellectual and spiritual was emphasized by him as an individual aim of education.
Emphasizing the social aim of education he said that the individual has a responsibility to work for the welfare of the whole society. "Willing submission to social control and restrain for the sake of the well-being of the whole society" were considered by him important attitudes to be developed in the people through education.
Good of the individual and good of the society were interdependent. So education should be both for the child as well as for the state.
Education, to Gandhi, was something more than literacy. Though he did not belittle the importance of vocational aim of education, self-realization and knowledge of the Ultimate, God was considered the ultimate aims of education.
Emphasis on vocational aspect led him to say that education has to be self-supporting, a theory which culminated into his system of basic education.
Cultural refinement of human personality through education was also considered important by Gandhiji. But, it was Indian culture that was emphasized by him. Culture, according to him was in quality of the soul which was reflected in all aspects of human behavior. For achieving this kind of cultural refinement he emphasized the study of the Geeta and the sacred books of all other religions.
Gandhi attached much importance to character education and moral development of the child through
Education, to Gandhiji, was a means to achieve perfection of individuality on the one hand and an instrument of service to the nation on the other. Thus, individual and social both the aims of education were considered by him equally important. "By education mean an all-round drawing out of the best in child and man-body, and spirit", he said.
This in other words meant development of whole child, the whole personality of the child. Harmonious development of all the aspects of human personality such as physical, intellectual and spiritual was emphasized by him as an individual aim of education.
Emphasizing the social aim of education he said that the individual has a responsibility to work for the welfare of the whole society. "Willing submission to social control and restrain for the sake of the well-being of the whole society" were considered by him important attitudes to be developed in the people through education.
Good of the individual and good of the society were interdependent. So education should be both for the child as well as for the state.
Education, to Gandhi, was something more than literacy. Though he did not belittle the importance of vocational aim of education, self-realization and knowledge of the Ultimate, God was considered the ultimate aims of education.
Emphasis on vocational aspect led him to say that education has to be self-supporting, a theory which culminated into his system of basic education.
Cultural refinement of human personality through education was also considered important by Gandhiji. But, it was Indian culture that was emphasized by him. Culture, according to him was in quality of the soul which was reflected in all aspects of human behavior. For achieving this kind of cultural refinement he emphasized the study of the Geeta and the sacred books of all other religions.
Gandhi attached much importance to character education and moral development of the child through