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In this lesson contributions of some Indian educators, philosophers like Mahathma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Aurobindo, Jiddu Krishna Murthi, Tara Bai Modak and Zakheer Hussain on early childhood education have been discussed.
Contributions of Mahatma Gandhi to ECE
The idea of preschool is of a new and recent origin in the history of Indian education. Prior to 1937, the preschools such as Montessori schools, Kindergarten and Nursery schools did not cater to Indian children. In 1937, Gandhiji gave a sound ideological basis for new education system called Nai-Talim or Basic education, which didn’t talk about preschool education. Later he focused on education for children under seven years which is called Prebasic education.
Pre-basic education
Pre-basic education in the fullest sense is ‘the education of children under seven for a development of all their faculties conducted by the school teachers in cooperation with the parents and the community in schools and at homes’.
Essentials of pre-basic education according to Gandhiji are as follows:
- Home is the first center of child’s education and learning.
- The teacher and parents should cooperate in carrying out the education of young children.
- Preschool education must not be expensive, so that it can reach the majority of child population.
- A child has to be active, creative and playful and has to learn things through the medium of play.
- An attempt should be made to develop self-efficiency in children.
Based on Gandhiji’s above mentioned ideas of preschool education the first experiment in pre-basic education was started in 1945 in the village of Sevagram, Wardha, in Maharastra state.
The programme of instruction in a pre basic school is geared to the needs of the following four groups
- Stage:1- Conception to birth
- Stage 2- Birth to 2 ½ years
- Stage 3- 2 ½ to 4 years
- Stage 4: 4 to 7 years
In first two stages education involves both mother and child. Opportunities are provided to the mothers to learn more about new trends and scientific methods of child rearing, health and hygiene and mother craft. Children are given custodial care and medical attention.
The children from 2 ½ to 4 years are provided play or group activities. Children need to be given full freedom to act, to move about and to choose their own activities. Teacher must supervise and guide the child.
The children after 4 years can participate in definite purposeful activities such as cleaning the class room, watering plants, washing vessels, measuring and weighing tins, bringing water, drawing and painting and other similar activities. Teacher must understand likes and dislikes of the child.
Gandhiji’s views on other aspects of early childhood education
Concept of education: According to Gandhiji good education is that which stimulates the spiritual, intellectual and physical faculties of the children.
- Curriculum: The curriculum is to be craft centered and activity oriented/centered.
Emphasis must be given to the construction activities during preschool level. He pointed out that through craft children understand concrete life situations. The craft is to be taught not merely for productive work but for developing the intellectual capacities of the children.
- Methods and approaches: Correlation is an important method of basic education. It is the technique which binds education with child’s life.
- Books: He discouraged the use of many books, especially books with formal writings. Especially the first year in primary school should be completely without books and the teacher should use oral method to save the child from a “Tyranny of words”.
- Role of teacher: The teacher has to play the role of a mother. She has to nurture the child, live with him and bring him to the level of greater maturity.
- Religious education: He emphasized classical principles of ethics and maturity in general rather than religious teaching.
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Participants