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TRANSCRIPT
CHAPTER-!
THE STUDY
CHAPTER-I
THE STUDY
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Concept of Education 2
1.2 Nature and Scope of Philosophy 4
1.3 Philosophical Framework for Education 5
1.4 Mutual Indebtedness of Education and Philosophy 7
1.5 Scope of Philosophical Inquiry in Education 9
1.6 Philosophy as Determinant of Different Aspects of Education 10
1.6.1 Aims of Education 10
1.6.2 Curriculum 12
1.6.3 Method of Teaching 13
1.6.4 Discipline 14
1.6.5 The Teacher 15
1.7 Different Philosophies of Education and their Implications 16
1.7.1 Philosophical Framework in Education in India 17
1.7.1 (a) Vedas/Upanishads and Philosophy 19
1.7.2 Western Philosophies of Education 19
1.7.2.1 Idealism and Education 20
1.7.2.1 (a) Man and his Physical Environment 21
1.7.2.1 (bj Man and his Cultural Environment 22
1.7.2.1 (c) Function of the Educator 22
1.7.2.1 (d) The Individual and the Social Aim of Education 23
1.7.2.1 (e) Scheme of Curriculum 24
1.7.2.2 Naturalism and Education 26
1.7.2.2 (a) Onset of Naturalism in Education 27
1.7.2.2 fb) Naturalism and Aims of Education 29
1.7.2.2 (c) The Scheme of Curriculum 30
1.7.2.2 (d) Hole of the Teacher 31
1.7.2.2 (e) Methods of Teaching 32
1.7.2.2 (f) Concept of School Organization 33
1.7.2.2 (g) Concept of Discipline 34
1.7.2.3 Realism and Education 35
1.7.2.3 (a) Realism and Aims of Education 36
1.7.2.3 (b) Scheme of Curriculum 37
1.7.2.3 (c) Role of the Teacher 381.7.2.3 (d) Method of Teaching 39
1.7.2.3 (e) Concept of Discipline 39
1.7.2.4 Pragmatism and Education 39
1.7.2.4 (a) Pragmatism and Aims of Education 41
1.7.2.4 (b) The Scheme of Curriculum 42
1.7.2.4 (c) Methods of Teaching and Role of the Teacher 43
1.7.2.4 (c).i Principles of the Pragmatic Method 44
1.7.2.4 (c). ii The Project Method 45
1.7.2.4 (c). iii Advantages of the Project Method 46
1.7.2.4 (d) Concept of Discipline 46
1.7.2.5 Existentialism and Education 47
494950
1.7.2.5 (a) Existentialism and Aim of Education1.7.2.5 (b) The Scheme of Curriculum1.7.2.5 (c) Method of Teaching, Role of the Teacher and
Concept of Discipline
1.7.2.6 Humanism and Education 52
1.7.2.6 (a) The Task of Education 541.7.2.6 (b) Organization of Education 55
1.8 Indigenous Educational Thinking 561.9 Geneses of the Study 481.10 Statement of the Study 591.11 Objectives of the Study 591.12 Assumptions of the Study 601.13 Nature of the Study and Methodology Employed 601.14 Scope of the Study 631.15 Significance of the Study 631.16 Limitations of the Study 69
CHAPTER-I
THE STUDY
1.0 Introduction
A renowned Kannada poet of modem times and recipient of the
Jnanapeetha award Kuvempu (1904), once said that every child when bom is a
universal man and after that he is reduced to a mean man and to make him a
universal man again is the duty of education. Education has been the most
significant of the human institutions since the days of yore. It has been seen that
world civilizations from time immemorial have been products of the respective
educational systems. In turn, the efficacy of education is judged from the
civilization it builds. In recent times, in the craze for materialistic achievement
sound human values are put to peril. This kind of erosion of values has its bearing
on the quality of life of the people. In the final analysis, it is education and
education alone that has to take the responsibility for such a state of affairs. The
situation warrants a sustained crusade through education. I quality of life is lost in
any society, it is an indication that the education of the people is lost. Education is
seen as a panacea for all the ills of society. It is common knowledge now-a-days
that education is the most important input for the development of an individual,
society and nation. Education is one of the vehicles of national development. In a
country like India engaged in the colossal task of social regeneration, economic
prosperity, scientific development and technological advancement education is one
of the most vital activities. (The Times of India, 2004)
1.1 Concept of Education
Education is an essential human virtue, without education man is a cute
slave, a reasoning savage. Education is to humanize him. It is through education
that man becomes man. He is what education makes him. Education accelerates
the process of getting man rid of his crude biological nature. Education fashions
and moulds man for society. His life can only be glorified through education and it
is only the cultural and social aspect of human life which signifies man's supreme
position and thus constitutes the noblest work of nature.
Education implies experience, insight and adjustment on the part of man as
he is stimulated towards growth and development. Education is described as a
process of development. Through education man develops his intelligence and
reasoning, receives knowledge and cultivates good habits and skills and essential
human virtues. In sum, education enables a man to realize higher values of life
essential for him to become the crown and glory of creation. This is a process of
behaviour modification.
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Etymologically, the tern education assumes various meanings and
interpretations like 'to nourish/ 'to bring up', 'to raise', 'to bring forth', to lead
our, 'the art of teaching and training' etc. Different educationists, thinkers and
philosophers, both Indian and western, have defined education. For
Shankaracharya 'education is the realization of the self. Koutilya defines education
as the 'training for the country and love for the nation'. Vivekananda (1863) views
education as the manifestation of the divine perfection already existing in man',
Gandhi (1869) says: 'By education I mean an all-round drawing out of the best in
child and man- body, mind and soul'. Going back to the very ancient Indian lore,
the Rigveda defines education as something which makes a man self-reliant and
selfless. According to the Upanishad 'the end product of education is salvation'.
Striking a similar note, the Vishnu Purana spells out the purpose of education in
the following words: Sa Vidya ya vimuktya - education is that which liberates.
Indian education in its wider perspective is more inclined towards spiritual
development, acquiring knowledge and disciplining the mind. (Sharma, 1989).
For its form and content modem education owes much to the west. To
present the views of some of the thinkers of the west, Plato (428 B.C.) says
"Education is the capacity to feel pleasure and pain at the right moment. It
develops in the body and in the soul of the pupil all the beauty and all the
perfection which he is capable of. According to Aristotle (384 B.C.) "Education is
the creation of a sound mind in a sound body. It develops man's faculty especially
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his mind so that he may be able to enjoy the contemplation of supreme truth,
goodness and beauty of which perfect happiness essentially consists". (Bremeld,
1971).
All the definitions and meanings discussed above attempt generally to
develop man in terms of his multidimensional personality and are derived from the
corresponding philosophy.
1.2 Nature and Scope of Philosophy
Philosophy is a systematic inquiry about the ultimate realities in the
universe. It is the study of general principles and understanding of all that comes
in the range of human experiences. It is a search for a comprehensive view of
nature. It attempts to answer such questions as" What life is for, what the essence
of the universe is, what the reality is. It seeks to know the real value of things as
distinct from their face value. Etymologically, the term philosophy is derived from
the two Greek words 'Philos' and 'sophia'. Philos means love of and sophia means
wisdom. So the word philosophy means love of wisdom. In the words of Weber
'Philosophy is a search for a comprehensive view of nature, an attempt at
universal explanation of the nature of things". According to Dewey (1859)
philosophy is "critical reviewing of just those familiar things". For Raymont
philosophy is "an increasing effort to discover the general truth that lies behind
the particular facts, to discern also the reality that lies behind appearances. What
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life is, what man is, what the origin of man is, what man's destiny or goal is some
of the questions of philosophical inquiry. Different philosophers try to answer
these questions according to their own reflections. The different answers lead to
different philosophies. Philosophy results in a certain way of life, in certain beliefs,
values and ideas. (Bremeld, 1971).
1.3 Philosophical Framework for Education
The speculative thesis of a thinker or of a school of thought projects a
philosophy of education. To speak, technically, philosophy of education is the
application of the speculative theses - metaphysical, epistemological axiological -
of the different philosophical schools to derive directives and recommendations on
educational aims, curriculum and methodology/ From this it is clear that a mere
'collection of stray sayings on education does not make an educational philosophy.
It requires a much more sustained, systematic thinking on educational maters, the
firm foundation of a philosophy of life knowledge and value and a conscious
committed articulation of one's position on the means and ends of education. In
other words, 'educational philosophy is a system of beliefs on reality, knowledge,
and their educational implication'. In general terms, philosophy of education is
described as 'philosophy applied in certain real and hypothetical situations'. It is to
be borne in mind that there cannot be a pure philosophy of education. It only
means that the way one thinks and feels about educational matters is determined
5
by the way he thinks and feels about other things in life. Different aspects of
education are determined by the different branches of philosophy correspondingly.
To elaborate the contention, ontology and axiology determine aims of education
and curriculum while epistemology determines methods of educational practice. In
short, philosophy of education provides a frame of reference through which
educational process can be viewed. Philosophy of education comments on the
various issues and problems as and when they arise with the dynamic nature of
society. There is not any aspect of social system or educational system which is
not influenced by philosophy. Philosophy is such a comprehensive concept that it
provides a framework or boundary to society in general and education in particular
within which both of them together perform the destined task and achieve their
objectives. Such a framework is termed as philosophical framework. The
philosophical framework is different for different countries depending upon their
social needs and necessities. It is very much necessary on the part of the teacher
to know about the intenelationship between education and philosophy. The
reason for this necessity is that the life system in general education in particular
have to carry out their functions within a particular philosophical framework of
their country.
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1.4 Mutual Indebtedness of Education and Philosophy
Education and philosophy are coherently indebted to each other. The
various functions of education like growth, direction which imply guidance and
control continuous reconstruction and reorganization of experiences, emotional
integration, training for leadership, inculcation of civic and social values, national
integration, promotion of social efficiency, fostering national character etc., are all
determined by the particular philosophy. The various aspects of education like
aims and objectives to be realized, curriculum, textbooks, methods of teaching, as
noted earlier, discipline, qualities and functions of teachers, the evaluation
procedures etc., are also influenced by philosophy. According to Fitcher (1834) 'the
art of education will never attain complete clearness in itself without philosophy.
Always there is an interaction between the two and either without the other is
incomplete and unserviceable'. Both education and philosophy are interrelated
and complementary to each other. (Jarrett, 1969).
Education and philosophy are dependent on each other. Both are necessary
for the advancement of life and making it happy. According to many philosophers,
education is the active side of philosophy. To Adams education is the dynamic side
of philosophy. Dewey (1859) has defined philosophy as the theory of education in
its most general phases. According to him, the relation between philosophy and
education is not general but very close because it is education that gives necessary
7
understanding of philosophy. The aim of philosophy is to enrich life. For this it is
necessary that some definite principles are translated into action through
education. If the principles are not practiced, the individual or the society cannot
be benefited. So education should give a practical shape to the aim of philosophy
and help in moulding the attitudes of man towards life according to its aims. This
being the case, education may be considered as a means for achieving the aims of
philosophy. Philosophical knowledge is obtained through education. The
principles of philosophy are, generally the contributions of education. (Jarrett,
1969).
According to Dewey (1859) again, philosophy has originated through
education. Educational process gives rise to ideas in the mind of man and
consideration of the related activities create philosophy. Philosophy as noted
earlier, has been recognized as the theory of education and the educational
process makes theorizing possible. As such, it is needless to remark that the
contribution of education to philosophy is equally important philosophy deals with
the ends and education with the means to achieve those ends. In other words, to
speak, metaphorically, education is a laboratory in which philosophic theories and
speculations are tested and made concrete. Education, may, therefore, be rightly
called applied philosophy. Philosophy is wisdom and education transmits the
wisdom from generation to generation. Philosophy formulates the method, gives
values, ideals and principles. Education works out these ideals, values and
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principles. By implication, philosophy depends upon education for its propagation.
(Jarrett, 1969).
Philosophy gives purpose and orientation to the educational endeavours of
individuals, although it depends upon education for its formulation and
crystallization. Philosophy bestows the knowledge of values which figure so
prominently in the choice of studies, school discipline, methods and means of
instruction and school organization. It is these values which constitute a
philosophy of education, the values which in the final analysis are reflective of a
philosophy of life.
1.5 Scope of Philosophical Inquiry in Education
The scope of philosophy of education is mainly concerned with the
problems of education. These problems are general in nature such as the
interpretation of nature, the world and the universe, explanation of aims and
ideals, the relationship of the various constituents of the sphere of education. The
main problems of philosophy of education include aims and ideals of education,
analysis of human nature, relationship of education and state, educational values,
theory of knowledge and its relationship to education, economic system and
education, the place of school in the educational system, the curriculum and the
process of education and finally the relationship of education and social progress.
9
The scope of philosophical inquiry includes a critical evaluation of the
different aims of education held and propagated from time to time such as
character building, man-making, citizenship, utilization of leisure, training for civic
life, training for international living, evaluation of the democratic society,
realization of social change, realization of general aims, adjustment of society and
individual and finally, self realization and spiritual emancipation.
Philosophy of education critically evaluates different aims and ideals of
education to arrive at the most sound and cogent aims of education. It also aims at
presenting a synthesis of various aims and ideals of education.
1.6 Philosophy as Determinant of Different Aspects of Education
Philosophy determines all the broad aspects of education. It has been
already mentioned that all the problems of education are the problems of
philosophy. It is philosophy that provides aims to education. These aims determine
the curriculum, methods of teaching, the problem of school organization and
discipline and also the role of the teacher in the educational processes.
1.6.1 Aims of Education
Every individual and educational system have some goals, aims or
objectives, which act as guides for the educator in educating the child. As a mater
of fact one cannot think of any process of education without specific aims and
10
objectives. Bode (1939) for instance, says, "Unless we have some guiding
philosophy in the determination of the objectives, we get nowhere at all". These
aims of education, in different countries are determined by the aims and ideals of
life which the people of those countries, cherish at a particular period of time. The
aims and ideals of life, in their turn, are determined by the philosophy of the time.
It is the philosophy of the time which determines whether the aims of education
should be moral vocational, intellectual liberal or spiritual. Thus, philosophy also
helps in solving the problem related to determination of goals/objectives of
education and life. Philosophy formulates what should be the end of life, while
education offers suggestions how this end is to be achieved. The philosopher
struggles hard with the mysteries of life and arrives at his own solutions. He then
suggests ways and means of dealing with them. Then he lays down ultimate
values and explains their significance to the community. These ultimate values, as
formulated by the philosopher, become the aims of education for that community.
The training of the younger generation, according to those aims and values, then
lies on the shoulders of the educator in the field. He selects the material for
instruction and determines the methods of procedure for the attainment of those
aims. In this way, the entire educational programme proceeds with its foundations
on sound philosophy.
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1.6.2 Curriculum
Curriculum is the means through which the aims of education are realized.
Naturally, therefore, educational aims determine the curriculum of studies. But the
aims of education in their own turn, are determined by philosophy. Philosophy
also determines the aims of education and courses of study. Thus they are closely
inter-related. It is philosophy which will decide why a particular subject should be
included in the curriculum and what particular discipline that subject will promote.
Education seriously needs leaders who hold a sound comprehensive philosophy, of
which they can convince others and who can direct its consistent application to
the formulation of appropriate curricula".
Curriculum reflects the curricular and co-curricular activities in educational
institutions and courses of study in different subjects and the values these subjects
set to achieve. Curriculum is a means, as mentioned above, to realize the aims of
education and not an end in itself. Curriculum includes the complete environment
of the educational institution involving all the courses, activities and organizations
provided to the students. The Report of the Secondary Education Commission
(1952-54) clearly points out the nature of the desirable curriculum "Curriculum
does not mean only the academic subjects traditionally taught in the school but
includes totality of experiences that a child receives at school. In this sense the
12
whole life of the school becomes the curriculum which can touch the life of the
students at all points and help in the evolution of a balanced personality".
1.6.3 Method of Teaching
Even the choice of methods is ultimately a question of philosophy. Method
is the procedure through which the aims of education are realized Kilpatrik, (1951)
realizing the ultimate connection between philosophy and method of teaching or
education, introduced the significant term 'Philosophy of Method'. It is through this
method the teacher establishes and maintains contact between the child and the
subject matter. Modem methods are paedocentric. They stress the importance of
the educand in the process of education more than the subject matter or the
educator. This is the direct result of the naturalistic philosophy which lays stress
on the interpretation of human behaviour in the light of natural laws and which
attaches more importance to the natural, innate potentialities of a child than to his
habits acquired through a social medium. Another problem associated with the
methodology is that of the exact place of the teacher in educative process. The
question that is often asked is where the teacher should intervene in the learning
process of the child or keep away. It raises philosophical issues. Rousseau (1712-
1778) and Fitcher go in for non-intervention of the teacher on account of the
child's nature. They contend that the child's nature is essentiality good, and any
intervention is, therefore, harmful. They defend the negative rather than positive
13
education on that account. Montessori (1870-1952), too, does not like the teacher
to intervene in the educational process. She adopts the environmentalist stand
point and argues that since the environment constituted by the didactic
approbatory is perfectly suited to the child and can evoke the right type of
response, the teachers' inference is not only unnecessary but unjustifiable.
Another school of philosophy defends intervention although they would like it to
be prudent, timely and less obtrusive. The followers of this school refuse to ignore
the limitations of the human child and do not agree to a method of trial and error.
(Jarrett, 1969}
1.6.4 Discipline
Discipline is another aspect of the educational process determined by
philosophy of education. Like curriculum, textbooks, and methods of teaching,
discipline too reflects the philosophy of life accepted at a particular period of time.
It even reflects the political philosophy prevalent in the country. Discipline as a
component of the educational process is governed by the aims of education. In
ancient India for instance, when salvation was the chief aim of education, stress
was laid on a strict type of discipline. The student was required to lead a life of
austerity and self-denial. In medieval ages when despotic systems of government
prevailed a very harsh and strict type of discipline was advocated and practised.
"Spare the rod and spoil the child", was the maxim for the guidance of teacher. In
14
the present age of democracy, however, the concept of discipline is totally
different, where as in the past, perfect order and silence prevailed today self-
government of students and free discipline are insisted upon. Discipline from
within is the cry of the day.
1.6.5 The Teacher
Teacher is the back bone of the entire process of education. It is, therefore,
essential that the teacher's philosophy of life should be in perfect consonance with
the philosophy in which the educational system is based. As such, to be a
successful teacher the teacher must know his subject, his pupil, the society and
the philosophy of education. There are divergent views regarding the role of the
teacher in the classroom. The naturalists insist that the teacher should never
interfere with the free activities of children. He simply has to set the educational
environment and that is all he is expected to do. Here his role is negative one. The
idealists advocate that the teacher's role should be that of the head of a family.
Pupils should be inspired by his personality and develop full faith in him.
According to pragmatists, the teacher should never impose anything on the pupil.
He simply should provide opportunity to assist pupils in their learning activities
All said and done, the teacher is the most important agent of realizing the
educational objectives of the society. History provides ample evidences to the fact
that great teachers are the seeds of great civilizations and progress. The future of
15
the country depends on the right kind of teachers. The strength of an educational
system largely depends upon the quality of its teachers. Teacher performance is
the most crucial input in the field of education. However, lofty the aims, however
modem and abundant the equipment, however effective the administration,
whatever policies may be laid down, in the final analysis these have to be
interpreted by teachers, as much through their personal example as through
teaching learning process. When it comes to the point of implementation, the
teacher stands unchallenged. His position is vital and pivotal. Ultimately the
responsibility of making education work lies with the teacher. The teacher holds
the key position in the learning process. Efficiency of an educational system is
determined by the efficiency of teachers.
1.7 Different Philosophies of Education and their Implications
Several factors influence the educational philosophy of the land - its political
philosophy, religious philosophy, social and cultural factors, historical factors,
geographical conditions are some such elements. These factors determine the
issues of the types of education to be imparted. Some of the conceived types of
education have been education for character, education for citizenship, education
for leadership, education for vocations and so on. While planning to impart
education, some of the issues like who should be educated, what type of education
should be imparted, when, what place and how, what type of teachers are
16
needed, confront one. Philosophies of education comment on these problems and
issues, and suggest ways and means to address them as and when they present
themselves.
1.7.1 Philosophical Framework in Education in India
The acquired meaning of the term philosophy in general terms is outlook of
life. It is a way of looking at things, events, relationships, values etc., from one's
own angle. Broadly speaking, two kinds of philosophies can be conceived-
materialistic and spiritual. When materialistic happiness is assigned a higher
value, one has the materialistic philosophy and when a higher premium is placed
on spiritualistic happiness, one has the spiritualistic philosophy. By and large,
materialism has been the striking feature of the philosophy of the west while
upholding spiritual values, ideals, ideas are closely related to Indian philosophy.
Based on this single difference between Indian and Western philosophy it can be
said that philosophical framework in India is idealistic.
In the Indian view philosophy is known as 'darshana'. The term darshana is
derived from the Sanskrit root drish which means to see. Darshana then means
seeing. This seeing may be either perceptual observation or conceptual knowledge
or intuitional experience. The three put together, darshana means true knowledge
or reliable knowledge. A darshana is a spiritual perception, a whole view of the
reality revealed to the soul sense. This soul sight is the distinguishing mark of a
17
true philosopher. It is the inner source of the philosopher from which he reveals
the truth of life, a truth which mere intellect is unable to discover. Manu has called
philosophy as 'samyak darshana' knowledge leading to salvation, without which
man cannot free himself from earthly bondage.
According to modem Indian philosophers, philosophy or darshana is not
mere study but it also includes thinking, contemplation and logic. According to
Radhakrishnan (1889-1975) darshana is a logical exposition of the nature of
reality. Some others have called darshana as an effort of critical knowledge of
reality. Most of the Indian philosophers have recognized only perceptual or
conceptual knowledge as darshana. According to them the word 'darshana' itself
symbolizes visual knowledge obviously obtained through the eye. Such knowledge
alone can be true or real. But in reality, the scope of philosophy is very wide and it
includes many such abstract elements concerned with physical, spiritual and
mental world which cannot be seen through the ordinary eye. The things which
cannot be seen through the eye, can be seen through intuition. For perception of
abstract things 'intellectual eyes' are used. Scriptures speak of 'spiritual vision' or
'divine eye' which is capable of seeing the most abstract things. Thus in Indian
philosophy, perception of both concrete and abstract has been considered
necessary for comprehending the truth or reality. (Sharma, 1989).
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1.7.1 (a) Vedas/ Upanishads and Philosophy
The veda is the chief source of Indian philosophy. It is the oldest document
of the world. Most of the hymns in the veda are composed to worship different
deities. In some of the hymns is found a fine explanation of God, soul mythology,
religion etc. The Upanishads constitute the concluding part of the Veda. Upanishad
refers to that knowledge which dispels ignorance and takes the individual
desirous of emancipation near God, that is, away from the bondage of birth and
death. The subject matter of the Upanishad is knowledge of God. By this
knowledge (Brahamajnana) any person can achieve salvation by knowing about
birth and death. The knowledge of Brahman is the knowledge of emancipation. It
has been also called 'Secret knowledge'. The main theme of the Upanishad is to
interpret knowledge (vidya) and ignorance (avidya). Brahma Vidya or spiritual
knowledge alone is the means of salvation. For emancipation, knowledge about
the 'self is necessary. According to the Upanishad Brahman is the ultimate truth
and the beginning and end of the universe, with reference to which everything
else in the universe can be explained logically.
1.7.2 Western Philosophies of Education
It has been already noted that educational movements over the world have
been the working out of various philosophical ideas as education is fundamentally
dependent on philosophy. In the Western tradition idealism, naturalism,
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pragmatism, existentialism and humanism are some of the main thought currents
that have influenced educational theory. Other schools of philosophy fall
somewhere between these.
Idealism deals with mind and soul and naturalism emphasizes matter and
physical world. Pragmatism refers to speculating and transcending beyond
experience while existentialism holds that man's existence precedes his essence
and lays stress on meaning to life.
1.7.2.1 Idealism and Education
The idealistic school of philosophy in education is presented by Plato (428
B.C.), Comenius (1592), Pestalozzi (1746) , Froebel (1782), T.P. Nun and others
(1870). The fundamental proposition of idealism is that the mental or spiritual is
more real or atleast more important than the material. The world of experience
rather than the physical world is more in tone with ultimate reality. Reality itself is
of a spiritual rather than of a material nature. It the world of experiencer is more
important, more fundamentally real than external nature, then man the experience
is himself more important. Man cannot be explained in terms of his animal origin
as the naturalist would attempt to do. It is spirit rather than animality that is most
truly man. Reality can be found in the spirit of man and not in his animality. Man's
spiritual nature is not something just added to him, but the very essence of his
being. This drives idealism to emphasize the grandeur and worth of human life at
20
its best. Human personality is of supreme value and constitutes the noblest work of
God. Such considerations lead to the idealistic aims of education, viz., the
exaltation of personality or self-realization, the making actual or real the highest
potentialities of the self. According to some idealists there exists a perfect pattern
of each individual his individuality. It is the main task of education to foster the
realization of that perfect pattern in each individual's life. The aim is to enable
each one to become his highest, truest self. This form of idealistic doctrine
constitutes a philosophical character for universal education. (Jarrett, 1969).
1.7.2.1 (a) Man and his Physical Environment
The distinctiveness of man from animals lies in his relation to environment.
Animals must accept the physical environment as given. They must adapt
themselves to it or perish. Man, on the other hand, is not in a helpless position of
having to accept the physical environment as unchangeable. His inventiveness
and his manipulative skill enable him to adapt that environment to his own needs.
He can mould it nearer to his heart's desire. He can create an art factual physical
environment. Hence, education should foster those inventive powers of man that
ensure his mastery over the material given to him.
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1.7.2.1 (b) Man and his Cultural Environment
More remarkable is man's relation to his cultural environment. This spiritual
or cultural environment is man's own making. It is a product of man's creative
activity. Religion, morality, art, literature, mathematics and science are the
products of man's moral, intellectual and aesthetic activity through out the ages.
They am humanities in the truest sense. This cultural environment is the common
heritage of mankind. To be characteristically human, man must enter into this
heritage. He has to reacquire and recreate the common culture himself, and, if
possible add something to the common stock. Education must help each individual,
each generation to do this. Self realization as the aim of education in this context
points to the realization of man's possibilities as a member of the human family -
acquiring, furthering and transmitting the common culture of mankind. As such,
with succeeding generations the task of education becomes greater and complex.
Education must enable mankind through culture to enter more and more fully into
the spiritual realm.
1.7.2.1 (c) Function of the Educator
The rational and teleological view of the universe poses a problem. If a
child has an inherent impulse to achieve his own proper form and attain
perfection, the need for an educator comes to be questioned. Naturalism looks at
the educator with suspicion. It maintains that the child's original glory, as a
22
product of nature, fades into the light of common day because of the well meant
interference of the educator. But idealism does not regard the educator in such an
unfavourable light Both educator and educand are parts of the wider organism the
rational universe. Both are fulfilling their function in the entire scheme of things.
The educator constitutes the special environmental factor. It is his function to lead
the educand nearer reality, to guide him towards his utmost possible perfection.
Froebel's (1782) well known metaphor of the Kindergarten contains the clearest
answer of idealism to the question of the educator's function: The school is a
garden, the educand a tender plant, and the educator the careful gardener.' The
gardener by his art sees to it that the plants achieve the finest form possible. His
efforts produce a finer result than would be achieved by the plant without him. It
is in the nature of the plant to achieve that result 'under suitable conditions'. The
educator by his efforts assists the child, who is developing according to the laws of
his nature to attain levels that would otherwise be denied to him. (Jarrett, 1969).
1.7.2.1 (d) The Individual and the Social Aim of Education
Idealism stresses self-realization as the ultimate goal of life. The individual
can realize his full potentiality only as a member of the human family. He achieves
his goal by participating in and enchanting the cultural values that are the
common possession of all mankind. The society is an expression of man's rational
or spiritual nature. Hence it is universal. This leads to the acceptance of spiritual
23
values, their eternal nature and their universality. On this ground idealism enriches
the social concept of education. The end of life is to acquire an inner relation to
infinity, to get into harmony with the soul of the universe. The function of
education is to help the individual in his exploration of the ultimate, universal
values. Idealism believes that values are inherent in the very design of the
universe. Values are impersonal and objective. Individuals are severally in
harmony with the soul of the universe. The development and the experiences of
the spiritual life unite individuals inwardly. The destinies of individuals receive
their particular nature from such a common life. Thus, it can be seen that
education for self-realization does full justice to a social aim.
1.7.2.1 (e) Scheme of Curriculum
From the discussion made in the preceding paragraphs it is discemable that
for idealism education must be religious, moral, aesthetic and intellectual to form a
harmoniously balanced personality. The physical aspect of the individual's
personality becomes equally important on its own. The physical aspect may be
considered into two aspects. Firstly the health and fitness of the body must receive
due attention. Without health and physical fitness the pursuit of spiritual values is
seriously impeded. Secondly there must be a fostering of the bodily skills that are
the executive instruments of man's invention enabling him to create an arti factual
physical environment more in accordance with his desires and needs than is given
24
to him. Spiritual and physical are the two aspects of man. But spiritual and
physical activities are not entirely separable. They have a common ground in a
certain measure. Moral values which are spiritual can be found in physical
activities. Intellectual values are pursued in the application of skills to the
problems of the physical environment. Aesthetic values are found in the mastery
man acquires over his material in his crafts. Hence drawing a rigid line between
the physical and the spiritual aspects of an individual's personality is not
reasonable.
In the construction of the curriculum idealistic philosophy pays attention to
the entire experience of humanity. Both the present and the accumulated
experiences are important. The main function of education is to acquaint the child
with the environment. In performing this function attention is to be paid to the
needs of the child and society both. The curriculum should be constructed keeping
in view the child's capacity and interest. Fulfilling the needs of the society means
that the child should be familiarized with the whole treasure of civilization and
culture in order that he may understand that he is the inheritor of such great
treasure. This knowledge leads him to self-realization and he is able to enrich this
treasure further. The curriculum should be so construed as to develop the three
sides of the individuals personality - knowledge, feeling and doing. Importance is
given for all subjects in the curriculum equally. Subjects of study are essentially
arts. In the study of these arte the self develops itself creatively. The curriculum
25
should help the child to see that his present experiences are elementary and
superficial in comparison to those that await further exploration.
1.7.2.2 Naturalism and Education
Joice defines naturalism as "a system whose salient characteristic is the
exclusion of whatever is transcendental of experience from our philosophy of
nature and man. In other words, naturalism is an attitude of mind which denies
the existence of an order transcending nature of experience. It believes that naturei
alone contains the normal and only final answer to all philosophical problems.
Thus it is a type of philosophy to which nature is the whole reality. It is not
prepared to accept the super natural or other worldly things. It regards human life
as a part of the scheme of nature. That which is hidden and is not known as only
a part of nature itself and science has to find it out. Ward says "the naturalism is
the doctrine that separates nature from God, subordinates spirit to matter and sets
up unchangeable laws as supreme".V
Naturalism as a philosophical doctrine has three forms: naturalism of
physical sciences, mechanicalism and biological naturalism. The naturalism of
physical sciences attempts to explain the facts of experience in the light of natural
laws, the laws of external nature. Mechanicism regards man as a mere machine.
Biological naturalism attempts to explain man as a product of evolution, man being
the highest animals who inherits the racial part consisting of natural impulses or
26
instincts, the primitive emotions. The view relegates the spiritual concept of man
to the background disregarding the existence of any spiritual potentialities in him.
Neither does it offer any explanation nor interpretation of his achievements in the
spiritual realm. This school has given to the realm of thought the doctrine of 'the
natural man'. It prefers instinctive judgements and primitive emotions as the basis
for action to reflection or experience that comes from association with society.
According to naturalist philosophers "moral instinct, innate conscience, other
world miracles, providence, power of prayer, freedom of will are illusions" and
there is absolute good or evil in the world. Aristotle, Comte, Bacon, Hobbes,
Lamarks, Rousseau, Thomas Huxley, Herbert are some of the noted thinkers on
these lines. (Jarrett, 1969},
1.1.22 (a) Onset of Naturalism in Education
Naturalism in education is an expression of protest against the prevailing
system. It came on the scene as a reaction against formalism, sophistication and
pedantry, into which the humanistic movement, influenced by the Renaissance,
had degenerated, with its undue emphasis on the study of books and linguistic
forms. Naturalism depends on the actual life of the educand. It asserts that the
well-established systems of education, with all their complexities and accessories,
are formal, rigid and artificial and hinder the child's natural development.
27
According to the earliest thinkers of naturalism the proper method of
imparting knowledge is 'to follow nature'. Nature would not lead one astray. The
spirit that is prevalent in various operations of nature ought to be the dominating
principle in the art of teaching. It was Rousseau (1712-1778) who brought the
naturalistic movement in education to its zenith. Rousseau (1712-1778) exalted
natural instincts and desires above reason. He maintained that the removal of all
restriction was necessary for securing the child's development. Natural tendencies
should be allowed to have full sway. The child should be educated in contact with
nature, according to its laws, away from society and its schools. Rousseau was
against forcing upon the child the traditional or customary way of thinking. The
child was to be regarded as a child rather than a miniature adult. As such he was
to receive education which is a natural process - "development from within, not
an accretion from without an expansion of natural powers not an acquisition of
information alone." Before imparting knowledge, such education should be given
that aimed at perfecting the organs that are the instruments of knowledge.
Rousseau brought the child into the foreground of the educational process and
stressed that educational material should be the facts and phenomena of nature.
Pacdocentricism and the scientific tendency in modem education incorporate these
two ideals respectively. (Bremeld, 1971).
28
1.7.2.2 (b) Naturalism and Aims of Education
According to naturalism the purpose of education is to redirect or sublimate
the natural impulses of the child for socially desirable ends. Education being a
process of adjustment to environment the aim of education is to endow the
individual with the ability to adapt himself to his surroundings so that he grows to
be a well-adjusted strong and happy being. According to Rousseau (1712)
education should aim at the development of the child in conformity with his
nature. In other words, the main aim of education is to give full opportunity for the
development of the natural endowments of the child. Nunn regards the
autonomous development of the individual as the central aim of education. He
insists that an education which aims at fostering individuality is the only education
according to nature. Consequently, naturalism bestows regard for individual
differences among children. Naturalism does not believe in specialized education.
It stands for liberal education. Naturalism cuts at the very root of the artificial life of
the upper classes. It criticizes the training of children in artificialities of life. It
stands for encouraging the natural spontaneity of children. The aim of education
should be free cultivation of all human powers in the interest of perfect individual
development. Naturalism wants to preserve the natural goodness and virtue of the
individual by establishing a society in which every individual enjoys rights in all
spheres of life. In this regard naturalism stands for the democratic values of liberty,
equality and fraternity. The nature of the childs is essentially good. Hence, his
29
senses and instincts should not be thwarted. They are sacred and God given. A
child has his own personality. He is not an adult or a grown up and has ways of
perception, thinking and feeling peculiar to his age. “Nature wills that children
should be children before they are men. If we seek to pervert the order, we shall
produce forward fruits without ripeness or flavour, and though not ripe, soon
rotten; we shall soon have young savants and old children". The implications of
the above naturalist statement may be said to be that psychological, scientific and
sociological tendencies in education find their root in naturalism.
1.7.2.2 (c) The Scheme of Curriculum
In the choice of curriculum of school studies, the naturalists hold their own
views. Spencer an extreme naturalist thought that human nature is strictly
individualistic and that self preservation is the first law of life. Accordingly he
advocated the inclusion of those subjects which would subserve self-preservation.
He attaches no importance to cultural subjects or those which enhance the value
of man's social and cultural inheritance. Rousseau's (1712) concept of curriculum is
characterized by the principle of negative education which is typical of the
naturalistic philosophy, the subordination of the child to the natural order and his
freedom from the social order. The doctrine of negative education, as applied to
physical education, insists on the greatest possible freedom for the child in his
movements and exercises, simple diet, loose, seanty and light clothing etc.
30
Intellectual education would amount to absence of verbal lessons, books or any
positive studies. The naturalists contend that the child's present experiences,
interests and activities should determine the choice of studies. The child should be
allowed to grow up in a free atmosphere; his natural inclination should find a
suitable outlet. The curriculum should consist of the phenomena of nature
presented in the natural order before the child. The childs intellectual education is
limited to the informal training of the senses. The child's power of sense
discrimination should be developed by stimulating his natural curiosity and
interests. According to naturalist curriculum knowledge for its own sake is not an
aim worthy of emulation or worth striving after. Hence, as noted earlier, the child
is not to be taught the traditional subjects. As for moral education naturalism
regards it as a matter of experience rather than of instruction. (Bremeld, 1971).
1.7.2.2 (d) Role of the Teacher
In a naturalist scheme of education the teacher has a peculiar place and
duty to perform. Neither is he to interfere with the activities of the children, nor is
he to provide any ideals or ideas in order to form their character. He must not
impose himself on them but must see to it that their education is the free
development of their interests and motives than an artificial effort made by him.
He has to provide them with suitable opportunities and create conditions which
are conducive to their natural development. He is not to expect any undue defence
31
from the pupils he teaches nor does he try to look superior. He stands for
encouraging the natural spontaneity of children. Naturalism is against intellectual
pretentions and autocratic behaviour on the part of the teacher. It rejects all
authority that interferes with the spontaneous development of the child. The
teacher tries to understand the children, loves them and approves of their
behaviour. It is contended that the child's nature is essentially good and any
intervention is, therefore harmful.
1.1.22 (e) Methods of Teaching
As discussed earlier, Naturalism makes the child the supreme center of all
educational procedures. The techniques of education must be determined
according to the child's nature and growth. Great stress is laid on direct
experience of things and on the principle of learning by doing. In this context
Rousseau (1712) has the following piece of advice to make. "Give your scholar no
verbal lessons: he should be taught by experience alone.....Teach by doing
whenever you can: and only fall bade on words when doing is out of question.....
Book knowledge should be as little as possible". The pupil is to discover things for
himself in learning science. He would make use of rough experiments performed
with the help of apparatus self-made and self invented. He is to adopt the
heuristic-learning by discovering-attitude and to apply it in the first hand study of
natural phenomena. The same principle is to work in learning mathematics,
32
geography and history. Thus, the direct methods of learning languages, the
heuristic and laboratory methods of learning sciences and mathematics, the
observational method in geography all illustrate naturalistic attitude. Even the
play-way principle in the project-method, the boy-scout and the girl-guide
movement, school excursions and in the schemes of self-government, is essentially
naturalistic. Besides these, the revolt from bookishness in elementary education
emphasis on nature study, out-of-door methods of studying geography, co
educational institution, open air classes are characteristic of naturalism. The
naturalists believe that every child's ability to acquire knowledge and skills and
benefit thereby is individual. Hence, those classroom practices which assume a
uniform speed of learning are discredited by them. The naturalistic methodology
has been aptly described by Ross: "The naturalist educator rightly thinks less of
his own exposition, much more of the learning experience of the pupil. To
summarize the discussion, naturalists advocate the use of child-centered methods
which stress the importance of the educand in the process of education more than
the subject matter or the educator himself.
1.7.2.2(f) Concept of School Organization
Naturalism as a philosophy of education has contributed a lot to the modem
concept of school organization. The organization of the school under goes a
complete change when the main tenets of the naturalistic philosophy are applied
33
to it. There is no rigidity of organization, no repressive forces in it. The school
ought to provide an environment which is conducive to the free development of
the growing child. For this purpose, the whole school is organized into a free,
natural society where the pupils' learn how to lead and how to follow. This
implies a system of self-government or the organization of the school along the
lines suggested in the Dalton plan which turns the class-rooms into the
laboratories. The naturalistic organization connotes an abhorrence of rigid time
tables.
1.7.2.2 (g) Concept of Discipline
It is said that if discipline is the cry of the idealist freedom is that of the
naturalist. Naturalists advocate the theory of discipline by natural consequences.
According to this theory, the discipline should be one which is by natural
consequences of one's action. Some naturalists would like the child to suffer the
unavoidable consequences or the inevitable reactions of his conduct. These natural
consequences constitute the punishment. Rousseau (1712) said that children
should never receive punishment as such. It should always come as the natural
consequence of their fault. This doctrine of discipline by natural consequences
enables the child to develop his potentialities in an atmosphere of freedom. It
saves him from the danger of repression which may result from the adult
interference and domination. But the theory of discipline by natural consequences
34
has been severely criticized. The truth is that the consequences of one's action
may not be proportionate to the fault. The consequences may do more harm to the
offender than he deserves. Nature does not distribute her penalties in a fair and
just manner. Nature's ways are arbitrary. In the view of the idealist discipline by
natural consequences is inadequate for moral training because it is not backed by
any notion of absolute morality. For the idealist, the conduct which gives joy and
happiness is regarded as morally good and that which gives pain is morally bad.
To arrive at a compromise between the naturalists and the idealists, it can be said
that the doctrine of discipline by natural consequences can be affected through
methods of self-government and social discipline.
1.7.2.3 Realism and Education
Realism as a school of philosophy regards the word of physical reality as
the fundamental thing in experience. The physical world alone is objective and the
factual world is something which can be easily accepted as it is. The realist
regards the personal wants and feelings subjective, subordinate and secondary.
Realism is quite conscious of facts and realities of actual situations. It gives no
place to sentimentalism and imagination. As such, realism disregards everything
subjective, personal and emotional. It tries to see things as they are and to
understand reality in its own colour without any fear or favour. The attitude of
most scientists closely fits in with the stand point of realism. The content of the
35
physical sciences is the reality for the scientist. So is the case with the modem
realist. Realism starts with undeniable certainties to build up a body of
systematized knowledge which is certain and objective and agrees with the stand
point of physical science. Realism believes that the regularities of the material
environment are the chief sources of all human experience. So the problem of
values should be approached more or less the same way knowledge is
approached. The great contribution of realism is in terms of a world view which is
physical orderly and which can be understood by men. Aristotle (384-322 B.C)
and Aquinas {1224) are the two leading exponents of realism. (Bremeld, 1971).
Realism entered the educational field as a protest against the narrowness of
the bookish and abstruse curricula. Realism holds that education should be closely
related to the actual realities of life in all conceivable aspects. Realism advocates
that education should by to give all those skills and knowledge to the individual
which are necessary for a happy living in the society. Realist philosophers believe
that there are certain eveiy-lasting values, in other words, there are universals
which are permanent or perennial in the midst of change to which man must
return and which must be brought to the attention of the youth in the school.
1.7.2.3 (a) Realism and Aims of Education
The aim of education according to realism is to give to the pupil a complete
knowledge and understanding of human society, human nature, motives and
36
institutions. The realist says that the aim of education is formation of a complete
man, skilled in art and industry, the development of the whole man, physically,
morally intellectually. The learner is expected to actualize his potentiality. The
ability to do so is embedded like a universal in every man in equal proportion, so
that under the proper conditions every one is able to achieve this end. Such a goal
rests fundamentally upon the concept that human nature is universally the same.
The ultimate ends of education are the same for all men at all times and
everywhere. They are absolute and universal principles. According to the realist
education should restore man's appreciation for the permanent moral, intellectual
and human values. Man should return to the more stale type of society. The one
true philosophy of permanent truth amidst changing values should be accepted.
Properly educated leadership must be available in order to avert disaster.
Education should create an intellectually elite class of leaders.
1.7.2.3 (b) Scheme of Curriculum
According to realism the curriculum becomes of a very wide nature. The
actualization of the learner's intellectual potential is attained to a significant
degree when he makes reasoning a habit. This ability to think clearly is necessary
for discovering truth. Education is a preparation for tomorrow through the
acceptance of irrevocable truths, not through adjustment to changing particulars
such as men and society. One must have something to reason about. The perennial
37
problems and questions of the great thinkers of all time provide the necessary
material for this, hi order to study these permanent truths, the tools of learning the
R's, reading and writing should be mastered during the elementary years. Ability
for appreciation of the great classics and the fine arts should also be developed.
Foreign languages, logic, rhetoric, natural sciences and mathematics should be
studied. Philosophy must be taught. Modem languages may find a place in the
curriculum as they enable one to read, write and conduct all type of inter actions
in the society. The true college or university should give a liberal education, not a
vocational one. The curriculum decides right subjects for a pupil depending upon
the utilization of his life.
1.7.2.3 (c) Role of the Teacher
A teacher who practises the principles of realism would play a secondary
and mediatory role. He would not be a well-spring of knowledge, nor the centre of
the educative process transmitting the cultural heritage. He would be like a
physician attempting to heal his patient. The teacher would have a solemn
concern for universal ideas with his challenging questions and demand for
clearness and reason. Religion and the religious institutions should also assume
responsibility along with the teacher in the creation of a new society.
38
1.7.2.3 (d) Method of Teaching
To realism, the method of teaching is too abstract from the personality of
both the teacher and the pupil and allows the facts to speak for themselves. The
method of teaching should be strictly objective. The best method is that which is
not one's own. The realist method of teaching starts with the parts and considers
them real in themselves. It regards the whole as a product of the parts, which
while contributing to build up the whole, retain some how their individual
independence.
1.7.2.3 (e) Concept of Discipline
Realism stresses the place of mental discipline in the educational process
1.1.2 A Pragmatism and Education
Pragmatism is a midway between naturalism and idealism. It criticizes the
impersonal interpretation of existence as put forth by naturalism and rebels
against the academic and orthodox absolutism of idealism. Pragmatism holds that
whatever fulfils one's purpose and develops his life is true. Pragmatism may be
viewed in three forms. Humanistic, experimental and biological. According to
humanistic pragmatism that which fulfils man's purpose is true. Experimental
pragmatism regards that as true which can be experimentally verified. In other
words, whatever works is true. Biological pragmatism has faith in man's capacity
39
for shaping his own destiny in the environment. It believes that man by nature is
potentially strong to make a better environment for himself. This is the kind of
pragmatism which is more dominant and expressive in modem times. According to
pragmatism the self is a kind of facts. It is not a thing, but a function. The self is a
behaviour symbol, an outcome of a social situation. Its permanence or
impermanence depends upon the social situation. Pragmatism believes that mind
is that form of behaviour especially of the social type which has purpose and
direction. The pragmatist insists on mind being behaviour activity, interactivity
with a biological and social environment.
The chief principal of pragmatic philosophy in general is that man creates
his own values. There are no fixed eternal truths. Truths, if any, are man-made
products. Reality is still in the making. It is never complete. Man's judgement
happens to be true if it gives satisfactory results in experience that is, by the way
it works out. A judgement in itself is neither true nor false. There are no
established systems of ideas which will be true for all times. All systems of ideas
are relative to the situation in which they arise and the personalities they satisfy.
Ideas are subject to continuous verification by consequences. The pragmatists lay
emphasis on man's power to shape his environment to his own needs and to
create by the successful solution of the problems, fairer and better environment for
himself.
40
The chief exponents of the pragmatic philosophy are Schiller and Dewey.
James regards pragmatism as a via media between idealism and naturalism. It is
nearer to idealism of the dynamic type in as much as it holds that there are values
which are man-created and are the result of successful action and
experimentation. It is inclined to naturalism in the sense that it also stresses the
study of the child and his nature. For pragmatism, education is not the pursuit of
knowledge for its own sake. Education may have its intellectual, aesthetic, moral
religious and physical aspects, but they are to be regarded as modes of activities
through which the child has to create values. These activities are to be produced
by the child because they will satisfy and subserve human needs or because they
are useful. According to pragmatists education is not the dynamic side of
philosophy as the general belief goes. Philosophy emerges from educational
practice. Education creates values and formulates ideas that constitute philosophy.
For them philosophy is the theory of education in its most general phases.
1.7.2.4 (a) Pragmatism and Aims of Education
The pragmatist does not believe in any predetermined goals or aims for
education. He contends that goals towards which educative effort has to be
directed or values which are to be realized are to be created man himself in the
light of his own experience. The pragmatist would like to put the child in such a
position as would enable the child to create values for himself. The solemn
41
purpose of the pragmatist is not to help the child to realize a scheme of readymade
values but simply to fulfill and satisfy his wants in his environment. The
pragmatist wants to achieve through education the cultivation of a dynamic,
adaptable mind which will be resourceful and enterprising in all situations, the
mind which will have powers to create values in an unknown future. It is such
minds that will reconstruct a society in which the human wants will be fully
satisfied through a social medium of co-operative activities.
1.7.2.4 (b| The Scheme of Curriculum
Pragmatism advances several criteria for curriculum construction. The first
criterion is the principle of utility. The school must provide experiences that are
useful to the child. The curriculum is to include subjects that impart knowledge
and skills which the child requires for his present as well as future life. As such,
language, hygiene, physical education, history and geography, mathematics,
science-domestic science for girls and agricultural science for boys should be
included in the curriculum. The 'utility criterion' requires direct training for a
vocation in the later stages. Different studies should be viewed from the stand
point of their usefulness in dealing with life situations rather than as disinterested
pursuit of knowledge. At the same time it cautions that the main aim of knowledge
that is, human progress, should not be overlooked. Secondly, the curriculum should
be governed by the child's interests at the successive stages of his development.
42
Thirdly, the pragmatic curriculum is based on the principle of the child's
occupations and activities, his own experiences. Learning does not merely mean
book learning. It is an active process rather than a passive assimilation of facts.
Besides the school subjects the curriculum includes activities which are socialized,
free and purposive. "If these activities take the character of the community of
which the school is an organ, they will develop moral virtues, result in attitudes in
initiative and independence and will give training in citizenship and promotes
self-discipline." Lastly, the principle of integration should guide curriculum
construction. The principle assumes the unity of knowledge and skill. If the
subjects in the curriculum are presented as modes of activities which are purposive
and connected by a common end integration will not only be possible but
inevitable. The pragmatist does not want the division of the curriculum into
subjects. Subjects are the capitalized experience of the race." But the pragmatist
warns against treating subjects as water-tight compartments.
1.7.2.4 (c) Methods of Teaching and Role of the Teacher
Pragmatism has much to offer in regard to the principles and methods of
teaching. It bids the teacher to be enterprising and experimental rather than
depend on stereotyped practices and established principles. Principles and
methods of teaching should be forged afresh in the light of real life situations.
43
1.7.2.4 (c) i Principles of the Pragmatic Method
The first principle of the pragmatic method is to establish a relation with
the life of the child, his desires and purposes, his interests and inclinations. The
method should make the learning process purposive. The child should be able to
achieve some object or purpose according to his wishes as a result of the learning
process. The most effective learning comes from whole hearted purposeful
activities. The second principle of pragmatism in educational method is Teaming
by doing' or Teaming through one's experience'. The pragmatists lay stress on
action rather than reflection. They cannot approve of a divorce between theory
and practice. The child leams best only through his activities or his experience
and not so much from book. The child has a natural aptitude for doing and making
things. By implication it means putting the child into real situations so that he may
be able to grapple with them and solve problems that arise there from. The third
principle of the pragmatic method is integration of the learning process. One of the
chief characteristic of the learning process is its integration. Although human
knowledge and skill present several aspects, yet it is a unity. The human mind
itself is a unity, there are no water-tight compartments in it. The method of
teaching, therefore, should be such as integrates and correlates the different
subjects and activities in the curriculum. Such integration can be possible if
knowledge and skill are learnt through activities that are purposeful.
44
1.7.2.4 (c|ii The Project Method
A signal contribution of pragmatism is the Project Method which is based on
the principles enumerated above. A project is defined as 'a whole hearted,
purposeful activity proceeding in a social environment'. In this method the school,
the curriculum and the contents of studies are considered from the child's point of
view. It lays emphasis on the purpose of learning and claims that children should
always have a clear idea of what they do and why they do certain things in the
school. Children are presented with real problems and the learning consists in
their solution. They learn several subjects, skills and activities as they feel the
need for them and whatever they learn is assimilated quickly because of its
correlated form.
There are five stages in the application of the Project Method. The teacher
has to provide suitable and interesting situations, preferably social ones. Situations
provided, the pupils choose one or two for their project or planned study. They
plan and carryout their chosen study in the third stage. The planning is done
under the guidance of the teacher. No plan is considered as final. Changes may be
introduced as progress is made in the execution of the project and this forms the
fourth stage. The execution of the project involves several tasks to be performed by
the teacher as well as by the class. Children study several subjects and perform
many activities under the supervision and guidance of the teacher. Proper
45
distribution of work according to the abilities of different groups of children must
be made. The aim or purpose must be kept constantly in view. The project having
been successfully executed, has to be reviewed, judged and evaluated in its final
phase.
1.7.2.4 (c)iii Advantages of the Project Method
The pragmatist asserts that the Project Method is based on the
psychological laws of learning: the law of readiness, the law of exercise and the
law of effect. Education imparted through this method is related to life school
subjects become useful studies. The method encourages a democratic way of
learning. Instead of fostering rivalry and competition it inculcates the attitude of
co-operation, thinking and acting together for a common purpose. The method
upholds the value of dignity of labour and imparts valuable lessons in citizenship
indirectly. There is a correlation of subjects and unity of the curriculum.
Knowledge is gained as a whole. The method stresses problem solving rather than
cramming and memorizing. It makes the pupils discover facts for themselves.
1.7.2.4(d) Concept of Discipline
The pragmatists disapprove of the individual concept of discipline. They
hold that discipline should be social. Social discipline is possible through free,
happy, purposive and co-operative activities of the school. The pursuit of such
46
activities leads to self-discipline. It leads to moral training or character training.
Such activities result in permanent attitudes of initiative and independence
absorption and co-operation, sympathy and consideration for others.
1.7.2.5 Existentialism and Education
Kierkegaard is taken to be the main founder of existentialism. He was
profoundly a religious man holding that man must accept the existence of God by
faith, even if it is difficult to uphold it by reason. Later followers and thinkers did
not consider God to be a necessity. Sarter (1905) leads the secular movement in
existentialism. He argues that human life has no purpose. Existence is ultimate.
Man must choose, by choosing man becomes himself.
The central assumption of existentialism is that the centre of existence is
man rather than truth, laws, principles or essence. Man is characterized by
decisions, will and choice. Man is free to choose the path of his life and by
choosing man attains his essence. There is a certain uniqueness and mystery
about the human person. The mystery is in an awareness of man's deep and
complex meaning. Science and rational thinking cannot grasp it. The uniqueness
of man comes from his emotions, feelings, perceptions and thinking. Existentialism
lays stress on meaning. Only through development of meaning in his life can man
make something of the absurdity which surrounds him. Man is the maker and
master of culture. It is man who imposes meaning on his universe. Therefore, man
47
cannot be taught what the world is about. He must create this knowledge for
himself. Existentialism stresses the social side of man when it perceives that man
is not alone in the world, he is connected to other men, interacts with others. The
real living person is important than any conceptual statements that can be made
about man. Therefore, man's 'existence' is more important than his 'essence'. To
quote Sarte's (1905) expression, 'existence precedes essence.' Man is free to
choose and acquire his essence and by doing so he can transcend both himself
and his culture. In Sarte's view existentialism is humanism.
To Sarte's truth is subjective. For man there is noting to know other than
himself. Sarte rejects all determinism regarding values. For him 'man is
condemned to be free'. 'Freedom is man's greatness and grandeur. Freedom is the
sole foundation of values. He is the unfounded founder of all values. He himself
brings values into the world. Man's problem is his alone, and his solution, only his.
Because of his freedom man is making an upward movement, transcending
towards the world, towards the future. Sarte's ethics lies in the statement that one
should make 'no choices which he does not think appropriate to all other selves,
who are or might be situated in like positions'. Man's situation is largely
dependent on his freedom. Obstacles crop up because man sets up goals by his
freedom. Failures are nothing but the affirmations of transcendence. Failures
indicate that there is a greater thing, 'a sphere higher than that of existence'
48
'Failure makes it possible for one to mount from existence to transcendence.
(Jarrett, 1969)
1.7.2.5 (a) Existentialism and Aim of Education
The most important aim, according to existentialism, in education is the
becoming of a human person as one who lives and makes decisions about what he
will do and be. Knowing in the sense of knowing oneself, social relationship, and
biological development are all parts of this becoming. Human existence and the
value related to it is the primary factor in education. By implication the aim of
existentialist education is to liberate man from all social taboos and cultural norms.
1.7.2.5 (b) The Scheme of Curriculum
The existentialist curriculum includes subject matter which helps in the
development of the student's whole being. Art, literature, music, drams, religion
and philosophy should be included in the curriculum because they are capable of
satisfying existential needs. Due consideration is also to be given to the knowledge
of medicine and pathology because of their importance for the physical and mental
health of the individual. Even co-curricular activities like sports and games can
present existential situations for teaching and the development of human beings.
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1.7.2.5 (c) Method of Teaching, Hole of the Teacher and Concept of Discipline
In an existentialist system of education, the school should provide an
atmosphere where the individuals develop in a healthy way. Children thrive better
when relieved from intense competition, harsh discipline, and fear of failure. Thus
each child can grow to understand his own needs and values and take charge of
the experiences for. changing them. Self evaluation is the beginning and end of the
learning process. As learning proceeds, children are freely growing, fearless,
understanding individuals. In classrooms with such an atmosphere children
become active, trust worthy, and encouragement by teachers fosters trust
worthiness and sense of security. The existentialists recommend Socratic method
of teaching because it is through indirect method only that a genuine academic
freedom is possible.
The teacher is in a position to foster individual growth of children. He can
facilitate development and creativity by providing a climate as well as basic skills
and tools which make exploration possible. School grades or rewards and
punishments do not foster growth. The aim of school tasks should be to nurture
self-discipline and self-evaluation. Mass teaching and mass testing are not
advisable. Primary emphasis must always be on the person as learner and not on
the learning programmes. The work schedule must be flexible and open. The
teacher must build positive relationships between himself and his students.
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Humanness determines the relationship between teacher and student. It is this
humanness that indicates the teacher's role and his activities, the subject-matter
to be studied, and the way the subject-matter is to be approached by the students
and the reason for this approach. Humanness is opposed to programmes that
depend on mechanical teaching.
Existentialist scheme of education puts the teacher at the foreground and
makes him the centre of attention. The teacher initiates the act of education
through his person and influences the lives of his students through his own life.
His relationship with his students is not permissive, but disciplined and often
opposing, student resistance is often manifested during the process of instruction,
but this resistance is viewed as natural and necessary in order that the student
may retain his own being. The teacher welcomes challenges to his ideas from the
students.
According to existential philosophy of education democratic ideals need to
pervade the school. Democracy must be the soil in which the individuals grow. It
should be the democracy of unique individuals who value differences and respect
one another. Children and young people come to value difference and change and
also to share in the mutual respect for the value of work and the creativity of man.
Self-government, pupil participation in planning and the encouragement of free
atmosphere characterize the school. Moral judgements are made, not according to
51
traditional standards, but according to fitness of individuals. Teachers should avoid
applying labels to children, such as, lazy, slow learner etc., for individuals may
come to think of themselves this way. Children need positive evaluation, not
labels. Good concepts cause worthwhile behaviour.
Existential philosophy is opposed to mechanization and impersonalisation of
methods of instruction. The tendency in contemporary society, particularly in the
west, is towards the anonymity of collectivism, information about individuals is
recorded by data processing, on computerized cards. Students may be represented
by cards, numbers and symbols. As a result, the relationship between the
individual students and the school programme becomes an impersonal one. The
use of programmed instruction, teaching machines and other equipment tend to
decrease the personal contact between teachers and pupils. This impersonization
proves to be a hazard to the individual development and growth of the child's
personality. Concern and respect for the individual student should be a feature of
the school.
1.7.2.6 Humanism and Education
Humanism is a very old philosophy. Humanism has been interpreted in
various ways such as a reasonable balance in life, interest in all dimensions of life,
responsiveness to all human passions. It is a philosophy which holds that man is
the centre and measure of all activities. The term humanism is used to convey a
52
philosophical belief which has faith in rendering service for the greater good of all
humanity. It follows then that the ethics of humanism is to serve one's fellow men.
It believes in the interest of human beings. It does not tolerate any kind of
discrimination against any race or community.
The following are the principle postulates of humanism:
i. Humanism does not believe in supematuralism.
ii. Humanism believes in science and thinks that man is a product of
nature.
iii. Humanism considers that human thinking is a result of interaction
between living organism and environment.
iv. Humanism is assured that man is competent to solve all his problems.
v. Humanism believes that man is the maker and master of his own
destiny.
vi. Humanism wants to make man free to have the highest aesthetic
experience of art and beauty.
Humanism cherishes the following convictions:
When a people's values are of the highest quality, benefits ensue;
decadence, violence and barbarism are checked. Historically there is an inevitable
conflict between civilized man and barbaric man. Whether civilization falls or rises
depends upon how the wisdom of the past is used, and how the moral values of a
53
civilized life are put into practice. The fall of a particular civilization is the result of
a decline in moral and aesthetic standards and values.
Values are not mere intellectual abstractions but are eternal and
unchanging. They are fundamental measures of human experience.
Human problems are problems of values. Wise men of the past are the best
sources for seeking solutions for the contemporary problems. It is upto the modem
man to use the lessons of history if he is to overcome the conflicts of his own time.
Literature focuses on pertinent values in a concrete manner. The great
writings in literature portray man in historical circumstances, reaping the
consequences of moral decisions and civilized or barbaric behaviour. Values, being
absolute and eternal, prevalent in history, are wholly reasonable in accordance
with nature. By studying the history of literary writings it is possible to identify
some of the related factors in these values.
1.7.2.6 (a) The Task of Education
Humanism advocates that children must be taught to respect language not
the careless speech habits in common usage, but the fixed language of correct
forms and absolute order which comes from the classical languages. Civilized man
has developed a sense of language perfection and this sense should not be made
vulgar by cmde usage. Children must be trained to be mindful of the importance of
54
the modem literaiy standards of academics. The literary scholars of the day must
be respected. The wisdom of scholars must be upheld in music, literature,
education literature and other subjects.
From the above discussion it is clear that in the educational practices of
humanism, the central concern is respect for intellectual values and traditions. The
teaching of literature is upheld. The teacher is expected to be well-read, well-
trained in humanities subjects and superior in attainments.
1.7.2.6 (b) Organization of Education
From the humanistic point of view schools colleges and universities are
regarded as centres from which flows all that is good and needed for the good of
mankind. All facilities are to be made available for the advancement of all
individuals irrespective of caste, sex, rich and poor, high and low. The curriculum
is so constructed as to help the youth to imbibe broad humanist attitudes which
implies loyalty to the social group and to mankind. The organization hopes to
achieve spread of awareness in the people. Schools, colleges and other institutions
are governed according to democratic principles to provide academic freedom to
teachers.
55
1.8 Indigenous Educational Thinking
In the previous sections of the present thesis, an attempt was made to
acquaint oneself with the different philosophies of education, with there origin
strikingly in the west and their impact on the theory and practice of education in
modem times. It is now advisible to make an assessment of the indigenous
educational thought. Indigenous education thinkers have bestowed their serious
attention on the philosophy of education and all related aspects like knowledge,
intelligence, mind and the functions of teaching and learning to which there are
ample references in the literature and to the illustrious teachers of yore
exemplifying the characteristics of an ideal teacher and an ideal student. The
quality of Indian discourse since the days of the Upanishads has been widely
acknowledged. During the medieval times, one comes across many more examples
of effective teachers, both of the religious and vocational kinds which may be
taken as the main foundations of educational thoughts of the present day.
In the modem India too there have been many original thinkers on
education. Till modem times idealism, more or less, dominated the Indian
educational scene. In modem times, by the influence of the western thought
currents, educational ideals have come to be branded after a particular school of
educational thought. Rooted in the hoary tradition with rich educational legacy,
Indian educational thinkers, by and large, do not allow themselves to be
56
exclusively classified under a rigid school of thought. This is because almost all of
them obviously receive their inspiration from idealism and are not at the same
time, averse to problems of life and existence, perennial and contemporary. One
thing, however, is clearly visible that western educational thinkers in the person
of one or another have had their impact on the modem Indian educational
philosophers in deciding educational aims and methods, organization and
administration of education. Whatever their philosophical inclinations regarding
education, modem Indian thinkers on education had felt the need for a review of
the educational system introduced by the British rulers, producing loyal servants of
the government. There was a search for a better system of education in the
country among the reformers and intellectuals. In this process, a good deal of
thinking, combined with actual experimentation on different alternative patterns of
education had taken place.
The freedom struggle of India exposed numerous glittering spots of
intellectual excellence and embracing perceptions of various issues concerning
quality of life in the country. Leaders of freedom struggle evolved an image of
prosperous India that would abound in practice of social justice, equity, equality,
respect for others and concern for others and concern for fellow-beings. The vision
of these personalities was to build an Indian nation integrated into a compact
whole having a sense of pride in its learning values, endeavours and
achievements. Education, the sole means of realizing such a vision, occupied a
57
major chunk of their time and thinking. Zakir Husain, a product of the freedom
struggle has been one of such modem Indian educational thinkers who have
thrived to bring about a radical reform in the educational system for independent
India. As the preface to the monograph on Zakir Husain and his educational ideals
brought out by the National Council for Teacher Education (1999) mentions,
"Contributions of Dr. Zakir Husain in giving a practical shape to the 'Buiniyadi
Taleem' (basic education) in the country and particularly at the Jamia Millia Islamia
still provide an enlightening experience to those who would like to understand
these through his writings and writings about him". Hence there is a need to make
an enquiry into Zakir Husain's contributions to Indian Education.
1.9 Geneses of the Study
The researcher has been working for the last few years in a college of
education. In the course of his task of teaching, the concepts of education for
democratic ideals, national goals, human resource development, cultural
transmission as a function of education and such others impressed upon him.
Philosophical ideas in education such as combining spiritual and religious goals
with the goals of economic efficiency, democratic citizenship, nationalism and
internationalism caught his imagination. The researcher sensitized the problems
linked with the issues of universalization of primary education in the country with
all its magnitude and the impediments in its implementation. The subtle issue of
58
imparting religious education in a country like India with its age long social system
characterized by its unique composite culture drove the researcher to ponder over.
On reading some of the ideas of Zakir Husain on education the researcher was
prompted to feel that Zakir Husain's educational ideals have a lot to offer for the
solution of some of the problems afflicting the educational system in independent
India. In these days witnessing unprecedented crisis of character, Zakir Husain's
vision of education with its emphasis on character building the principle aim of
education appeared to be of significant relevance. These and similar reflections
prompted the researcher to take up the present study to make an enquiry into the
educational philosophy of Zakir Husain.
1.$0 Statement of the Study
The research study at hand is worded as under:
"AN ENQUIRY INTO THE EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF DR. ZAKIR
HUSAIN"
1.11 Objectives of the Study
hi conducting the research study at hand the researcher has the following
specific objectives:
1. To make an analytical study of the evolution of Zakir Husain's thought
process on education.
59
2. To make an assessment of Zakir Husain's contribution to the theory of
Indian education.
3. To make an appraisal of Zakir Husain's contribution to the practice of Indian
education.
4. To identify the areas where Zakir Husain's view points on education may
be found relevant for the modem Indian setting.
5. To make suggestions for the improvement of the contemporary Indian
educational system.
1.12* Assumptions of the Study
The present research study has been undertaken with the following
assumptions:
1. Zakir Husain's educational vision offers significant insights for educational
planning and execution contemporary in India in the context of human
resource development.
2. Zakir Husain's educational ideals are significantly relevant to modem Indian
education.
1.13. Nature of the Study and Methodology Employed
The present research study is of the nature of philosophical and historical
study. As such, the study employs a combination of the philosophical and the
60
historical methods of research. It is an arm-chair study in the sense the data
necessary for the study are collected from sources preserved in written form such
as books, journals chronicles, magazines etc.
A subject of a philosophical nature deals with fundamental problems, which
occupy a very abstract level of inquiry. In such subjects, the method has
necessarily to rely on a type of reflection which is far removed from laboratory and
field work. The use of philosophical method in the field of research in education is
made with reference to the study of educational thoughts and ideas of great
thinkers. Educational reforms always take place by the intuitive insights of great
philosophers in the world. Educational programmes become effective if they are
based on sound philosophy as philosophy gives a synoptic vision and an
integrated view. The rationale of philosophical method is that the fundamental
principles and thoughts of great minds can be analysed and synthesized with a
view to making them relevant to the contemporary practices and procedures. It is
the most effective operation in the sense that it explicates the meaning, drains the
implications and explains the ideological controversies.
The present study largely makes use of the philosophical method because
the study is a theoretical research in which the conceptual positions of various
schools of educational philosophy and Zakir Husain's thoughts on education are
analyzed and synthesized. The philosophical method lays stress on the logical
61
analysis of educational concepts, adequacy of the methodology of educational
research, and integration of concepts into a system. It also studies the application
of an educational theory to educational practice.
The present research study is historical in that Zakir Husain's contributions
to Indian education and the accounts of different schools of educational philosophy
are traced from various primary and secondary sources. The primary sources
consist of the works written by the exponents themselves of the different schools
of educational philosophy and works written by Zakir Husain himself -books,
articles, speeches, pamphlets etc. while books, articles, criticisms, monographs,
biographies, etc., written by various authors, on different schools of educational
philosophy and on Zakir Husain and his educational ideals constitute the
secondary sources. The researcher conducted visitations to concerned institutions
and had discussions with eminent persons like Khurshid Alam Khan, son-in-law of
Zakir Husain, on the problem at hand. He also made use of the Internet.
The data are collected from different sources as mentioned above by the
method of documentary survey and processed and content analysis is made to
arrive at conclusions.
62
1.14 Scope of the Study
The present research study deals with Zakir Husain's educational thought
and practice his conception of man; his views on functions and aims of education,
different stages of education, different kinds of education, ideal teacher,
community and parents; methods of teaching he advocated and put into practice,
institutions he organized for putting his educational ideals to practice, his views on
evaluation in education etc., The study includes the discussion of the relationship
between philosophy and education and different schools of educational
philosophy. The study also includes a biographical sketch of Zakir Husain tracing
the development of his thought process, influences that shaped and crystallized
his educational vision, and his national services. The study also includes the task
of pointing out the implications of Zakir Husain's educational ideals for modem
Indian education. Finally, the study attempts to make suggestions for improvement
of Indian education and for further research on problems emerging out of the
study.
1.15 Significance of the Study
The research study at hand proves to be significant looked at from different
angles. Education system needs to be so geared up as to realize a country's
national goals. In the Indian context, the National Policy on Education (1986) has
formulated the following as the National goals.
63
i) a unified secular India,
ii) modernization,
iii) productive people, and
iv) a humane and caring society.
It is upto the educational system to see that the country is developed into a
strong integrated nation through the process of materializing the national goals
enumerated above. The world today is passing through a revolution. The aim of
this global revolution is development rather than mere change. Most nations today
are committed to growth. Their aspirations are no longer bound to terrestrial
concerns but extend to the exploration of outer space and possibly to other planets
as well. This kind of universal quest for forward movement is fired by soaring
aspirations for economic, social and political progress. This quest is based on the
philosophical vision that man can transcend himself and his environment. This
vision has led to the optimistic conviction that man in this age of science and
technology can move forward with astounding unprecedented pace. As an
aspiring and developing nation, India can ill afford to lag behind in this onward
march. Development is not mere economic growth; it is also a quest for status,
prestige, recognition and social and political modernization. It has, therefore, a
close link with development of human resources in the country.
64
Human resource development is a concept of rather recent origin. Herbison
and Myers (1968) have made an attempt to elucidate the concept of human
resource development in all its comprehensiveness. Human resource development
is the process of increasing the knowledge, the capacities of all the people in a
society. In economic terms it could be described as the accumulation of human
capital and its effective investment in the development of an economy. In political
terms, human resource development prepares people for adult participation in
political processes. From the social and cultural point of view, the development of
human resources helps people to lead fuller and richer lives, less bound by
tradition. Concisely, the process of human resource development unlocks the door
to modernization.
A nation's assets can be divided into two aspects: natural resources and
human resources. A country requires human beings to mobilize capital, to exploit
natural resources, to create markets and to carry on trade. If a country is unable to
develop its human resources it cannot develop anything else like a modem socio
political structure, a sense of national unity and integration or higher standards of
material welfare. Hence, human resource development is a necessary condition for
achieving the political, cultural and social as well as economic goals of a nation. In
other words, human resource development is the most effective single means to
accelerate national growth. In turn, education is the sole means to achieve human
resource development. A country needs, in addition to educated persons
65
specialized in different fields of life, the educated populace to join hands in the
task of nation building.
Education is a social process on the foundation of which can be built a
strong nation self-sufficient in economy, non-corrupt in character and scientific in
thinking. Education aims at refining one's sensitivities and perceptions that
contribute to national solidarity, scientific attitudes and independent thinking and
also help one hold a firm belief in achieving the chosen goals. As such, education
has for its aim human resource development. Human resource development
recognizes the paramount need to utilize fully the human resources and relate
education to the needs and aspirations of the people. It strives to bring the
benefits of education to the disadvantaged classes of people to create a climate of
discipline and hard work and to assist the demand for educational expansion and
improvement of quality. If a country is to advance, the capacities of men and
women, the human resources, physical, mental, and spiritual are to be developed
extensively.
The National Policy on Education (1986) along with its Programme of Action
lays its main emphasis on the key role of education in human resource
development. The document states: "It should now be possible to further intensify
the nation wide effort in Human Resource Development with education playing its
multifaced role". In the policy the human beings are described as assets. "In the
66
Indian way of thinking, a human being is a positive asset and a precious national
resource which needs to be cherished, nurtured and developed with tenderness
and care, coupled with dynamism." In the complex and dynamic human resource
development process the catalytic action of education needs to be planned
meticulously and executed with great sensitivity. Education, thus, has been
entrusted with great responsibility. Expenditure in education has been viewed as
an investment and as such, education is a unique investment in the present and
future. The document Challenge of Education - A Policy Perspective visualizes that
in the history of mankind, education has formed a continuum and a basis for the
development of human society. Through development of attitudes, values,
capabilities both of knowledge and skills, education provides strength and
resilience to people to respond to changing situation and enables them to cause
and contribute to societal development. The teacher as the main agent of‘social
change and development is the principle means of implementation of educational
programmes and organization of education. The teacher's effective and efficient
role can be the tool for ushering a new order of society which is just and
equitable. Sykes and Vance (1983) observe "Pedagoggues can, inevitably, bring
about any change, required by the society. They can destroy or make the country
and its people capable of contributing more to increase human resources."
(Sharma, 1989). In this context, the present research study 'An Enquiry into
Educational Philosophy of Dr. Zakir Husain' carries with it considerable
67
significance. An educator with great faith in humanism, Zakir Husain's educational
philosophy regarding functions and aims of education, his ideals emphasizing the
value and importance of relating education with community, creative work,
learning by doing, ideal teacher and such others are likely to offer insights for
realizing the national goals, enlisted earlier, by brining about human resource
development through education.
In the filed of education, the end is more important than the means. All
educational provisions and programmes should be organized according to the end
in view. But it is observed that in the field of education, several projects running
today in the name of development of education, are developing the means and the
end is gradually becoming, secondary. More importance is being attached to
school building, equipment, teaching methods and lesson planning. Most of the
time, the energy is being spent on discovering new teaching methods with the
help of science and technology. An appraisal of Zakir Husain's contributions to the
theory and practice of Indian education may suggest measures to overcome this
shortcoming in today's educational practices. Hence the significance of the study
at hand.
One of the main functions of educational philosophy is to harmonize the old
and the new education. In every period of time, there is a function of
reconstruction between the old and the new. The old and the new have a primary
68
and permanent relationship. The old serves the root of the new. For the expansion
of the new, a permanent and stable base is required. According to Radhakrishnan
(1888-1975), today man is lonely and restless in the absence of proper support
with the old and he has lost all contact with the absolute reality, the nature and
even man. Because of this, his loneliness finds expression in violent and arrogant
behaviour. Human problems are problems of values. Wise men of the past are the
best sources for teaching the solutions to modem problems (Sharma, 1989). It is
upto modem man to use the lessons of history if he is to overcome the conflicts of
his time. The research study at hand proves significant from these angles also. The
present study is significant from the technical point of view too. There is a need for
good historical studies such as this one.
1.16 Limitations of the Study
The study is limited purely to theoretical discussion of Zakir Husain's
educational ideals and practices. Apart from the primary sources of data for the
investigation, the secondary sources constitute a formidable range of literature. An
exhaustive tapping of this wide range of sources is difficult to claim. As such, the
present research study cannot be claimed to be exhaustive.
69