VIVEKANANDA ON EDUCATION (ARTICLE BY SIVADAS MASTER)

VIVEKANANDA ON EDUCATION

(ARTICLE BY SIVADAS MASTER)

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Swami Vivekananda was a great scholar of Indian Philosophy. His educational philosophy has been shaped according to his philosophical views. We can have a quick and brief tour of his educational thoughts.

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Being a Vedanthi, Swamiji regarded man perfect from birth. So, according to his vedantic views, Swami Vivekananda defined education as: “Education is the manifestation of the divine perfection already in man”.

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Education is not for imparting of instruction or for delivering huge quantities of information labeled as knowledge. Education is life building, character-forming and assimilation of ideas. It should help the learner to form adesirable character, to strengthen the mind, to expand the intellect and to enable one to stand on one’s own leg. Thus the ultimate aim of Education is man-making achieved by the development of an all round, wholesome and properly integrated personality.

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Swami Vivekananda believe in auto-education or self-learning or self-teaching.

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He compares the child to a plant in a garden; and the teacher to the gardener. The the gardener prepares the ground for the growth of the plants in his garden. He protects them in the natural way and nourishes them in such a manner that they can grow properly. Like that the teacher should:

(i) Take care of the children

(ii) Provide them a suitable environment

(iii) Look after their proper growth

(iv) Activate the motivation that comes from within the child and

(V) Encourage the child to use its body, mind and sense organs properly to achiyevee maximum development

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The teacher has to provide environment so that the child may become aware of the immense treasure of knowledge lying buried in his/ her mind.

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Swami Vivekananda advocates for a national educational system. He says: “ The ideal is that we must have the whole education of the country , spiritual and secular, in our hands, and it must be on national lines, through national methods, as far as practicable.” He believed in the utility of the education of the masses. The real cause of our national downfall is our indifference to the education of the masses. To rebuild our mother India , we have to pay due attention to the education of the masses.

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Swami Vivekananda propounded a philosophy of education which India needs at present badly. Swamiji’s views on education is well appreciated, not only in India but in the whole world, by the educational philosophers and educational experts. (Read more …)

Sivadas master