Archive | Education

Religion and Education are closely associated with each other both are of spiritual tendencies. Spiritual, material or physical urge are dealt with by religion as well as by the education.

Education can make following contributions in the national and economic development:

1. Education acts as infra-structure for economic development.

According to sociologists national development is possible only if social changes take place along with economic changes and they go together.

In a democratic country curriculum construction is done with the purpose of realizing democratic values.

Sociological tendency in education made several thinkers in the field of education to discuss and classify the relationships between education and society. Education was considered as a sub-system of the larger society.

1. Provision of Equal Opportunities and Recognition of Individual Differences

In a democratic set up, each child is a sacred and valuable entity of society. As such, equal opportunities are made available to one and all for their fullest development.

It is only in recent times that democratic principles and values have entered the field of education. The credit of this revolutionary change goes to the American educationist Johy Dewey.

The Education Commission (1964-66), said that the development of values such as a scientific temper of mind, tolerance, respect for the culture or other national groups, etc., will enable us to adopt democracy, not only as a form of government, but also as a way of life.

Dr. Maria Montessori's work has considerably influenced modem educational theory and practice, especially in case of children at nursery school stage. Her gospel of love, respect and sympathy for the child has been accepted all over the world.

In spite of such a unique contribution to the field of child education, the Montessori Method also suffers from certain limitations. Firstly, she has neglected play activities of children, which are most valuable in a child's education. Secondly she gives too much stress on Didactic Apparatus.

Froebel (1783-1852) was a great educator of Germany. He also had. A neglected childhood and boyhood, and so he had to roam about from place to place, learning, studying and trying various professions.

Vivekananda did not make deliberate and specific suggestions about what subjects should be taught in the school, in what way, and what the place of the teacher should be in education.

The prime aim of education is to achieve fullness of perfection already present in a child. According to Swamiji all material and spiritual knowledge is already present in man covered by a curtain of ignorance.

Vivekananda's educational philosophy

Swami Vivekananda ranks among the greatest educationists of the world. Here in the following lines, we discuss the basic principles of the philosophy of education:

According to pragmatism teacher is a friend, guide and philosopher to the child. He must educate the child in social environment so that he may attain social efficiency.

Aims of education are implied in the very meanings of education. He has given two sets of aims viz. immediate and ultimate aims of education.