Views Of Great Thinkers

on Medium Of Instruction:
Mahatma Gandhi
BY
M.MABISHA
ROLL NO: 64
COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
Introduction

 Gandhiji’s contribution to education is unique in this

sense that he made the first attempt to develop an
indigenous scheme of education in British India.With
the advent of British colonial rule in India, an alien
system of imperial education was introduced which
was in contradiction with age-old, unique and all-
inclusive holistic education system of India.
Gandhians Thought
 It should be easy to learn for government officials.

 Itshould be capable of serving as medium of religious, economic

and political intercourse through out India.

 It should be the speech of the majority of the inhabitants of India.

 Every body should find it easy to learn.

 Inchoosing such a language considerations of temporary or

passing interest should not count.

 Gandhii state that English language does not fulfill any of

these requirements.
Medium of instruction
 According to Gandhiji, the foreign medium has caused
brain tag , put an undue strain upon nerves of our
children made then grammars and imitators.

 Unfitted them for original work and thought and

disabled them for filtrating their learning to the family
or masses.

 The foreign mediam has made our children practically

foreigners in their own land.
 It
is the greatest tragedy of existing system. The foreign
medium has prevented age growth of our vernaculars.

 Ifi had powers of a despot, I would stop the tuition of

our boys and girls through a foreign medium.

 Gandhiji firmly believed that vernaculars or native

languages of India should be the medium of
instruction.
Merits of Basic Education of Gandhi

 The concept of basic education is based on child centric

education. It primarily considered constructive and
creative instinct of children.
 They may learn to make use of their hands quite
skillfully and joyfully in order to drive the satisfaction
of their own.
 The system gave priority of consideration to the
mother tongue as a medium. As such it was truly
Indian in its approach to education.
 Itaimed at making education purposive of life to
prevent wastage of our primary education.

 Itwas based on Indian social cultural and economic

background of people.

 Alsoit had the potential of vocational education

capable of solving the problem of unemployment.
Demerits of Basic Education of
Gandhi
 Itis not possible to give education in analytical detail
on a subject only through craft.

 Correlationof the subject through craft may appear to

be sometimes unusual and time consuming.

 Emphasiss on craft work rather than on play to little

children may be said as psychologically unsound.
 The amount of money earned through the selling of
craft goods of children was unable to make education
self-sufficient.

 Highr education was not possible to each through the

system. But it may be designed only for the small scale
industries.

 No provision was there for the study of the English

language which has emerged as a key to higher
education at present.
Conclusion
 The modern system of education acts as an instrument
to increase the value of consumerism and violence.
Gandhiji could foresee such possible developments half
a century ago and advocated a new alternative of Basic
education. By which of course may be retained but
perhaps modified to suit the times. His educational
thoughts are based on eternal principles of truth, love,
self-sacrifice, character building, non-violence so will
never lose their relevance.