English Education Has Enslaved Us

Mahatma Gandhi claimed that Western civilization developed in Indians a sense of inferiority. It crushed the Indians’ pride in their own culture and gave them the impression that it was superior. Indian students who attended these schools developed a fondness for British rule. Mahatma Gandhi aspired to provide an education that would enable Indians to regain their feeling of respect and dignity. He encouraged students to abandon their studies during the national movement to demonstrate to the British that Indians were no longer willing to be slaves.

Indians who received an English-language education were isolated from their social circles and became “strangers in their lands.” According to Mahatma Gandhi, education must encourage the growth of a person’s mind and spirit. Education did not include literacy. Other intellectuals started to envision a national education system that would be drastically different from the one established by the British as nationalist emotions grew.

The Agenda for a National Education – Class 8 Notes

The topic ‘Agenda for a National Education’ of Class 8 Social Science NCERT chapter 6 discusses that many Indian intellectuals from various regions had started to discuss the necessity of expanding educational opportunities before the arrival of British officials. Some Indians pushed the British to build more schools, colleges, and universities, and increase funding for education because they believed that Western education would help modernize India. Other Indians responded negatively to education from the West. Two such people were Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore.

In this article, we will look into the difference between Rabindranath Tagore’s and Mahatma Gandhi’s educational perspectives. It is an important topic in NCERT class 8 Social Science Chapter 6. Students can go through this article to get comprehensive notes on the topic.

Table of Content

  • English Education Has Enslaved Us
  • Tagore’s “Abode of Peace”
  • Difference Between Rabindranath Tagore’s and Mahatma Gandhi’s Educational Perspectives
  • Conclusion – The Agenda for a National Education
  • FAQs on The Agenda for a National Education

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English Education Has Enslaved Us

Mahatma Gandhi claimed that Western civilization developed in Indians a sense of inferiority. It crushed the Indians’ pride in their own culture and gave them the impression that it was superior. Indian students who attended these schools developed a fondness for British rule. Mahatma Gandhi aspired to provide an education that would enable Indians to regain their feeling of respect and dignity. He encouraged students to abandon their studies during the national movement to demonstrate to the British that Indians were no longer willing to be slaves....

Tagore’s “Abode of Peace”

In 1901, Rabindranath Tagore founded Shantiniketan. In his early years, he thought education was burdensome and suffocating. Therefore, once he grew up, he wanted to start a school where kids could be joyful, creative, free, and able to pursue their ideas and desires. He believed that infancy should be a period of self-learning, free from the harsh and constricting discipline of the British-instituted educational system. Tagore claimed that the current educational system destroyed children’s natural creativity and sense of wonder....

Difference Between Rabindranath Tagore’s and Mahatma Gandhi’s Educational Perspectives

The following are the differences between Rabindranath Tagore’s and Mahatma Gandhi’s Educational Perspectives:...

Conclusion – The Agenda for a National Education

In conclusion, Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore’s differing approaches to personal and societal reform, as well as their different aspirations for Indian society, can be seen in their respective educational philosophies. Tagore’s belief in the transformational potential of education to promote creativity and cultural synthesis was highlighted by his emphasis on individualism, holistic development, and global perspective. Gandhi, on the other hand, emphasized practical learning, moral principles, and community empowerment, which emphasized his dedication to self-reliance and grassroots development. Even though these two great minds were committed to using education as a vehicle for social change, their opposing viewpoints still influence discussions about pedagogy, social change, and cultural identity in modern India....

FAQs on The Agenda for a National Education

How did Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi differ in their educational philosophies?...