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AIMS OF EDUCATION
It is accepted by all that without the knowledge
of aims, the educator is like a sailor who does not know his
destination and the child is like a rudderless vessel which will
drift along somewhere ashore.
Educational aims are important for the following reasons:-
1. Educational aims given direction to educational activity.
2. Educational aims provide meaning to the educational
programme.
3. Educational aims help in acting intelligently.
4. Educational aims provide motivation to take up
educational programmes.
5. Educational aims are necessary for efficient school
organization, administration and supervision.
6. Educational aims are useful for parents, students and
teachers to contribute their best to achieve these aims.
7. Educational aims give continuity and significance to
education.
The Knowledge Aim:-
The aim of educational should be give knowledge as the
acquisition of knowledge is an end in itself. Our aim is that
children should be able to use knowledge intelligently in life.
Theoretical knowledge is of no use.
Adams says that such teachers and parents have made
schools knowledge shop and teachers information mongers. If
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the aim of education is the adjustment to environment,

knowledge of that environment is essential. If the aim if
education is vocational the knowledge of that particular vocation
is essential. But it should be remembered that knowledge can be
a means to an end and can not be and an end in itself and the
knowledge also imparted in our schools should be purposeful
rather useless.
The Harmonious Development aim:-
The harmonious development means the harmonious
cultivation of the physical, intellectual, aesthetic and moral sides
of human nature. Education should be able to produce a well-
balanced personality rather than a lopsided individual. Mere
athletes, sportsmen and scientists are lopsided types. What is
desirable that all the powers and capacities of the child should
be developed in a harmonious way. Further says-Man is neither
mere intellect nor animal, both the heart and soul alone. A
proper and harmonious combination of all the three is required
for the making of the whole man and constitutes the true
economics of education.
The Religious Aim: -
Kant is of opinion that a life without religion is
incomplete and so is morality.Dr.Radharishnan has also said
“Education according to the Indian tradition is not merely a
means to earning a living nor it is only a necessity of thought or
a school of citizenship. It is imitation into a life of spirit, a
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training of human souls in the pursuit of truth and practice of

virtue. Faith in the fatherhood of God and in the brotherhood of
man would hold us to produce and maintain a high degree of
civilization.
The Vocational Aim: -
This is also known as bread, butter aim of education. It
is simple means that education received by an individual should
enable him to earn his bread, should enable him to get a job,
some work that pays him sufficient money regularly so that the
individual is able to buy bread, bread, clothes, house and other
thing necessary for living a decent and comfortable life. This
has led in many countries to a slogan by the people and
educators which is “job-oriented education”
Individual happiness aim:-
Happiness is essentially the purpose of all that an
individual does in life. He goes to school tries to build good
health, tries to get a job serves well does something which
brings him name and fame. Happiness is the basic goal-life. It is
asserted therefore that education should help the individual in
achieving this goal. Happiness of the individual very much
depends on soul, mind and sound body. Recreational activities
should be included in the curriculum.
Educational for leisure: -
This aim asserts that children in the schools should be
taught to utilize their leisure time such as their holidays, summer
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vacation and week days constructively for enjoyment and

developing their personality and their potentialities. This may
add tot heir happiness and development of creative powers. The
educators for this reason, plead that provisions for hobby
centers, recreation centres, social service camps, scouting, NCC
etc should be made in which student can participate and use
their leisure time fruitfully.
Thus there are a number of educational aims which
fall within the category of individual aim of eduation.They are
said to be individual aims because they all focus on the life of
the individual. All round development of the individual is their
only concern. They are all complimentary and should not be
considered competitive.
C denotes –cooperativeness and creativity
H denotes-hard work and humility
A denotes-affectionate
R denotes-rational
A denotes-adaptability
C denotes-cleanliness
T denotes-truthfulness, tolerance
E denotes-ethics
R denotes-reasonable
Character has two aspect-personal and relationship wit society.
According to Swami Vivekanand, “We want that education by
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which character is formed”. Dewey has stated, “The formation

of character is a comprehensive aim of education.”
The Social Aim:-
Social aim has several dimensions-
 Society is supreme and an individual exists in the society
and for the society
 State should provide for citizenship training.
 Social efficiency should be in the aim of all training.
Social aim of education finds expressions through education for
citizenship and education for social service. According to
Dewey efficient individual is an asset to himself as well as to
society. He is able to earn his livelihood.Raymont says that an
individual is a social being. An isolated individual is figment of
imagination. An individual lives in the society, so he should be
trained through social contacts.
The Education Commission (1964-66) emphasized that
education cannot be considered in isolation. It is to be planned
in social settings, it must contribute to national development.
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AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF EDUCATION IN

RELATION TO TIME, PLACE AND ATTITUDE
There is difference of opinion about the aims
of education. According to some it is the acquisition of
knowledge, while for other the development of character is the
aim of education. Some people attach more importance to
society in education. Whereas to others the individual is more
importanct.Individual and society are not opposite concepts yet
these concepts become one sided if emphasis is laid on either
them.
According to those who hold the
development of character of the individual as the aim of
education conduct o behaviour is the main thing and the aim of
education should be to teach the individual to behave
righteously. The supporters of knowledge as the aim of
education recognize knowledge as power virtue and happiness.
Some other exhibit their interest more in the development of one
aspect of personality and in their opinion ,physical development,
social development or adjustment are the aims of education.
Actually the aim of education is multisided
development of personality. One of the main reasons about
educational aims is that people hold different attitudes towards
life. Philosophies of different people are different. Everyone has
his own attitude .We have necessarily some view about life. Life
is a burden to some people and they want to finish their life
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soon. Their aim is to get happiness after having freed

themselves from the suffering.
To some others life is a natural happening and
the more the pleasure and the enjoyment obtained in it.
Therefore spiritual development is held up by some other as the
attitude of their life.
The aim of education is determined according
to the time, place and attitude of life, like life and philosophy
life and education also go together. If life is burden to us then
education is also be burden and we will no take interest in the
aim of education. If our attitude is only material development
and we are materialist we would like that the aim of education
should be to teach how to increase the efficiency of collecting
the objects of luxury and to plain the process of enjoyment .In
this condition people run after gold and they earn money by fair
or foul means. Money becomes the base of character they forget
that they are human being. In this situation society is
disorganized and many kinds of struggles arise. But the aim of
education for the people having such an attitude is only to teach
the art learning money.
Self-realization is the aim of education
according to those who believe in spiritual development.
Educational objectives differ according to
place. Any objectives desirable in American or European
society may not hold well in Indian society. Even in Indian
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society the same objective may not be desirable everywhere. In

rural, suburban and urban societies educational objectives may
differ.
Similarly in the same society educational
objectives mat change from time to time. Aims of education
during Vedic period may not be accepted in modern context.
Educational objectives Maktabas and madarashas of Mughal
period are useless today.
Time and place play very important role in
determining the aims and objectives of education.
Aims of Education in Ancient India:-
Aim of life in the Vedic period and the Buddhist
period was Mukti or Nirvana that is salvation. Accordingly
education was imparted for the realization of this aim.
Development of personal purity was the common feature.
Aims of Education in Medieval Period: - religious aim was the
supreme aim.
Aims of Education during the British Period: Aim of education
was to prepare individuals who would serve the British rulers
faithfully.
Aims of Education in Democratic Free India: - The ideals and
values embodied in the preamble to the constitution of India are
the guiding sources of education aims in India. These may be
expressed as under:-
1. Development of democratic values
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2. Development of egalitarian values

3. Development of secular values.
4. Development of values related to dignity of individual
5. Development of skills and values related to
vocations/professions
6. Development of values conducive to the unity of the
country
7. Development of values related to universal brotherhood
and understanding.
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JOHN HEINRICH PESTALOZZI (1746-1827)

Pestalozzi was a Swiss educator .When he
was just five years his father died and he as brought up by his
mother. He hated Latin school as it lacked realism and this
inspired him to bring about educational reforms.
Pestalozzi tried several professions including
agriculture, law and politics and failed.
Educational Ideas of Pestalozzi:-
Meaning of Education: - “Education is the natural progressive
and harmonious development of man’s innate power”.
Aims of Education:-
 Physical development
 Intellectual development
 Correlation between hand, heart and head
 Moral development
 Character development
 Development of citizenship
 Development of inherent powers
Methods of teaching:-
 learning through senses
 Learning by doing
 Learning activites
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He has given a special method for learning –it is

Aswansang method means observation method.
Role of a teacher:-
The teacher should set an example in all activities. The
teacher should remove the obstacle and develop the self-
confidence in the student. He should be allowed the maximum
freedom to the student.
Direct method of acquiring knowledge: - Pestalozzi named his
direct method of acquiring knowledge “Anshwang”.This means
that the child acquires know by his own experience.
Model of the School: - Pestalozzi stressed that the school
should follow the model of the home. Let the teacher act like a
father. He should set an example in all actvites.Just as
cooperation and mutual understanding in home give healthy
atmosphere, so the ideals should be applied to the school.
Development of organs and sense perceptions: -
head+heart+hand.He believed in the value of senses which
directly as well as indirectly helps in learning. Man’s knowledge
must be founded only through the development of organs.
Medium of Play: - Pestalozzi believed that children express
their natural drives through the medium of play.
Discipline: - According to Pestalozzi the children’s trust in their
masters their love and gratitude for them which will take the
place of rule and discipline.
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Vocational Education: - He emphasized the necessity for

vocational education.
Well-marked stages in the growth of mind:-
 The mind first begins with sense impressions. Gradually
impressions become distinct and take individual forms as unit
of experience.
 At the next stage sense impressions become clear. The form
and other sensory qualities of things are imagined by the mind
 At the last stage the clear images of things are transformed
into ideas by which things can be defined.
 Practical rules:-
 All round training should be the aim of education.
 The learner should be allowed maximum freedom
 Work should get precedence over words.
 Method of learning should be analytic.
 Realities should come before symbols
 Correlation should be ensured.

Contribution of Pestalozzi:-
He said that teacher should be trained in child. In
Europe Pestalozzi experiments in education he himself
conducted in his school in Yverdon.Pestalozzi introduced
grading instruction. This great stage of psychological movement
has summed up his views on education in his book. “ How
Gertrude Teaches her Children”. He found in each
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individual the germs of all powers, sentimental, aptitude that

were needed for their successful use which lead in the
satisfaction of the individual.
Pestalozzi declared “sound education” stands before
me symbolized by a tree planted near fertilizing water. A little
seed which contains the design of the tree form and placed in the
soil. The whole tree is an interrelated chain of organic parts the
plan of which existed in seed and root. Man is similar to the
tree.
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COMPARISON OF FROBEL AND MONTESSORI

SIMILARITIES
1. Provision for Nursery schools
2. Child-centered education
3. Importance of environment’
4. Emphasis of sense training’
5. Self-expression
6. Play-way method
7. Individual freedom
8. Idealist

DISSIMILARITIES
1. Difference in educational philosophy
2. Group versus individual teaching
3. Social versus Individual tendencies
4. Manual versus life activities
5. Scope of songs , poetry and tales
6. Reading, writing and arithmetic
7. Role of a teacher
8. Applicability
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