To his contemporaries and the posterity, Mahatma Gandhi was a great politician and social reformer; but he also made a special contribution in the field of education. His original mantra was the establishment of a society without exploitation. For attainment of this, it was necessary for all to be educated. He firmly believed that it was impossible to build a healthy society in the absence of education.
In Gandhi’s scheme of things, the objectives and principles of education must firmly rest on basic education. The emphasis on elementary education and the fundamental right of children to eight years of free and compulsory education is a fulfilment of Gandhian thoughts on basic education. The ideas of Gandhi firmly establish him as an educationist par excellence.
The Gandhian dream was not limited to the achievement of the political independence of the country; he wanted to build a ‘New India’ by renewing the indigenous traditions of India in all areas such as economic, educational, spiritual, ethical, indigenous and ethnic. According to Gandhi, education which does not mould character is absolutely worthless. Gandhi held that education is an instrument that can play a vibrant role in improving the socio-economic status of the nation. It empowers the citizens with analytical capability, improves their self-confidence, fills them with regenerated energy and increases their efficiency. According to Gandhi, education does not only mean learning text books, but also involves development of values, skills and abilities.
Gandhi presented a new scheme of basic education at the ‘All India National Education Conference’. His concept of basic education is based on non-English education till matriculation with emphasis on development of skills related to indigenous industries. Under the pilot programme of basic education, Gandhi included basic crafts such as agriculture, spinning, weaving, woodwork, leather-work, soil work, book art, horticulture, home science for girls and educative handicrafts.
While presenting his valuable thoughts on literacy, Gandhi said, “In my opinion what we have reason to deplore and be ashamed of is not so much illiteracy as ignorance. Therefore for adult education I should have an intensive programme of driving out ignorance through carefully selected teachers with an equally carefully selected syllabus, according to which they would educate the adult villagers’ minds. This is not to say that I would not give them a knowledge of the alphabet. I value it too much to despise or even belittle its merit as a vehicle of education.” (Harijan, 5-6-1937)
Once asked whether our schemes for adult education and literacy should aim to promote the spread of literacy or to impart ‘useful knowledge’, Mahatma Gandhi said: “The primary need of those who are come of age and are following an avocation, is to know how to read and write. Mass illiteracy is India’s sin and shame and must be liquidated. Of course, the literacy campaign must not begin and end with a knowledge of the alphabet. It must go hand in hand with the spread of useful knowledge. But municipal bodies should beware of trying to ride two horses at a time, or else they are sure to come a cropper” (Harijan, 18-2-1939).
