Problems before Present Education : Some remedial suggestions through Gandhian Approach

By Dr. Ravindra Kumar

*Dr. Ravindra Kumar is a Former Vice-Chancellor of CCS University, Meerut, India; Editor-In-Chief of Global Peace International Journal. Also he has been a consultant to UN University of peace for Gandhian Studies.

Six years ago we have kept pace in 21st Century. There are more than six hundred crores of persons in the whole world now. The population of our country, India, is more than one hundred crore. A big number of people all over the world are facing many challenges and problems in the current century of which unemployment is the foremost problem being faced.  Estimatedly, more than one hundred crore people that are approximately 1/6 of the population are in the clutches of the problem all over the world.  It is not an easy task to control this problem expeditiously, thereby ensuring employment to all.  We can very well perceive that human society is badly affected owing to this.  It causes many foul resultants.  Although it is not a topic of analysis here, yet it can be conveniently grasped that one, who does not have source of income and cannot earn in accordance with one’s requirements, can go to any extent: we can guess all such vivid problems of serious nature.  In such circumstances, only a well-directed education, equipped with flexible methods according to the needs and the demands of the time can be capable of resolving the problems.  This alone, can be a ground for our optimism.  We can expect from it a way leading to the fulfillment of aim of human life, subsequently for freedom from varied problems.

In every age and time, there has been immense importance of education and its methods in accordance with national and regional circumstances.  It has accorded a base of life full of pleasure, fulfillment and peace to human beings along with making them self-dependent.  However, education and its method prevalent in the circumstances prevailing one hundred, five hundred, one thousand or two thousand years before cannot be as significant today as it was then.  It is noteworthy that there has been an effect and action in every era to make education humanly fit according to the time and the circumstances.  Needless to say, this was the need of the time.

In our country, it is being said regarding education since ancient times, “SA VIDYA YA VIMUKTAYE”.  It signifies that the aim or/and objective of education is to make a man self-dependent in every field.  It has this very end within its fold.  Merely writing, reading or alphabetic knowledge does not amount to getting any gain from education.  Getting education in real sense means sharpen the intellect, or get rid of day-to-day problems and to bring about complete harmonious development of personality based on equal opportunity. That’s why Mahatma Gandhi, a true representative of the people of his time too talked of education capable of all round development of humans to enable them to lead a righteous life becoming self-reliant.

Population in the world has increased rapidly.  At the time of independence, that is exactly 57 years ago, India had 33 crores of people.  Now this is more than 100 crores.  Primary and higher secondary schools increased in proportion to the increase in population.  Colleges and universities, imparting higher education, also increased.  Number of universities or similar institutions is 250 in India alone.  Literary knowledge increased tremendously at the world level.  It is cent percent in many nations. The day is not far away when everyone will be literate.  Number of degree holders is also on the increase.  We are all observing significant progress that has been and is continuing in the field of computer due to advancement in science and technology.  In spite of achieving all this, we do not see a decrease in economic and social problems pertaining to humankind.  Dreadful problem of unemployment has emerged with the increase in population, which rendered man non-peaceful at social and economic planes.

How has all this happened? Literacy increased. There has been much increase in number of degree holders. There have been research accomplishments. Education developed remarkably not only at basic and secondary levels but also at higher level. Then, why there is no peace among human beings?  The straightforward and simple answer to this query is that the direction of education is not adequate.  Educational method today is full of several flaws. This condition prevails, more or less, in all countries of the world.  It is not only in context of India alone. I have been to many nations of Asia and Europe during the last one decade.  All are, more or less, under pressure of the problem of unemployment. They are also perplexed while pondering about future. I would like to quote an example of The Netherlands. I have been there a few years back.  It is a beautiful and developed country.  Population there is not very much.  However, I found that hundreds of young men and women were worried about their future after getting education up to the highest degree conferred by a university.  The Government of Netherlands provides allowance for fulfillment of basic necessities [meals, clothes, housing, medical facility, etc.] to unemployed young men and women.  This suffices towards their subsistence anyhow but their future life remains in dark indeed.  They cannot build a golden future while being without employment and depending upon unemployment allowance only.  They are unable to carry out all sided-development of personality.  They cannot keep pace with others in the society.  It is in this perspective that when I asked a Youngman, going to complete his Ph. D. thesis, about his future planning, he replied, “The biggest problem before me is regarding getting an employment.  I shall be nowhere if I do not get it within a year…. I want employment, whatever it may be”.

What is apt to say for an educational system when a person is in perplexity even though he is going to get doctorate degree and is the citizen of a developed nation.  I again asked this young person, “You get unemployment allowances in your country: why are you so worried?”  He answered, “Yes, it is true that an unemployment allowance exists.  There are many joyful on this accord… but, is it a life?”

Not all the nations provide unemployment allowance to their citizens. However, where it is prevalent, it is not a permanent panacea of the problem. Let us then deliberate as to what the students achieved after getting higher education.  What could they gain after getting education up to 20, 22 or 25 years of life at varied levels?  This is a problem oriented question before the system, educationists and social scientists as well as before the students.  In fact, it is the sole responsibility of the system, educationists and social scientists to make education humanly fit according to the time and the circumstances.  They cannot avoid this responsibility.  It was in this context that 2500 years ago, Plato, the Greek philosopher expressed and gave to the society his views on aims and methods of education. He told about gradually making it practical.  His views have significance to some extent even today.

Not long ago, Mahatma Gandhi called upon adopting a method with basic/fundamental education in which knowledge is not given for the sake of knowledge. It has its practical aspect because of preparing student for self reliance and to lead a life with work.  His call was important and happens to be so even today.  It is antagonistic that we did not adopt it. The loss caused to us on this accord cannot be estimated easily.

In Indian circumstances, there was absolute necessity of adopting an employment-oriented educational system according to Mahatma Gandhi’s views.  He was rightly of the opinion that the Indian education system can be effective only when it is well disposed towards the circumstances or situation and is modified according to time and space. Even today, the guidelines suggested by him are relevant to a great extent.

We are attached to a hundred years old system and that has become completely fruitless today.  It has become difficult today for a Ph.D. degree holder to the get job of a clerk.  I mean to say that non-attention towards above-mentioned responsibility for so many years has resulted in education not becoming successful in accomplishing its aims and objectives.  Especially, it has not been successful in solving the problem of unemployment.  As such, it is now quite essential that this system should be made practical and effective as per the demands of time and suggestions made by Gandhiji. It should be made collaborative in to human values as desired by him.

In this context, it is the demand of the time that technical knowledge, for which Mahatma Gandhi has used the term buniyadi, must be recognized as a compulsory part of education.  It should be admitted that this knowledge should be akin to conditions prevailing in the country, resources available, etc.  Subsequently, it should be gradually developed in further education of a student according to his capabilities, interests and attributes.  I have two examples to clarify my above-mentioned statement of mine.  I was a student of sixth or seventh class when two men came to my school to demonstrate how to make Lifebuoy soap.  The Principal ordered all students to assemble in the playground.  Both the men taught the students how to make the soap.  Next day, a student brought such an exquisite Lifebuoy soap made by him that it surpassed even the soap of the company.  The boy went to the Principal and presented the same to him.  He praised the student very much.  This definitely stimulated the courage of the student.  The Principal presented this work of student before all in the school and asked to derive inspiration from that.  This further inspired that student.  The boy became interested in technical knowledge.  He was virtuous.  Accordingly, he continued to make Lifebuoy soap off and on at his home by ghee. The father of the boy was very angry at this.  He used to come to the Principal so often to say, “You invited the persons who told how to make soap indigenously.  My son has been constantly increasing the household expenses”.

The father did not encourage his son.  Even then, the son continued to take interest in soap making.  Today, he is approximately 47 or 48 yeas of age and is the General Manager of an international soap manufacturing company.  The soap of this company is famous all over the world for its remarkable quality.  The son had to wait for 30 years to achieve a place but even then he did praise worthy job because of his virtue, interest and capability.  He could have achieved this distinction within 25 or 20 years in case he had encouragement from his father.

The second example relates to the period of my higher education. There was a girl student in my college.  Her father was an ordinary farmer but was immensely interested in sugarcane and resultant products.  He had gained considerable knowledge of these.

His daughter, the student of this very accord, also took keen interest in performance relating to agriculture.  The student passed B.Sc. in first division.  Her father wished her to be a candidate at Civil Service and to go for M.A. by faculty change.  The girl did not want this but respecting her father’s wishes, she changed the faculty and passed M.A., securing third division.  She was under rebellion against her father now.  She further worked very hard for two years and passed M. Sc. [Ag.] obtaining first division.  She undertook research assignment subsequently and today she is an eminent scientist. It is a fact that the girl had to waste quite a significant time of two years but she presented a good example before others as per her virtue, interest and capability.  An encouragement from her father at the prior stage could have been better.

I intended to say by all this that a student should come out with a certain mind from the education that the degree earned by him is apt towards an employment unto him.  This is possible only when he possesses technical knowledge also in the specific field: notwithstanding that, he may have a degree in science, commerce or arts.  A graduate can proceed on the way of life only after getting an employment.  It is definite that education with technical knowledge makes employment an easy task.  While doing so the graduate will not face difficulties in thenceforth developing his personality, keeping pace with others in the society or moving ahead at socio-economic level.  Ultimately, this technical knowledge and education paves way to social, national or international welfare.  We shall now have to achieve real aim of education through it.

India, amongst countries of South and South-East Asia etc., even today, is based in respect of agriculture and economy related to industries linked with it.  These can be the root source of employment in our nation.  In this very stream, in certain other countries including that of Europe, there are also industries linked with livestock, fishery or forestry and to so many sources of employment as well.  It is our duty now to develop technical education based on above-mentioned foremost sources in accordance with the national circumstances and need of the time.  Further, it should be made compulsory in educational syllabi pertaining to our nation.  We should remember that if we do not take steps in this direction in right earnest and do not accord employment orientation to education, 1/5 part of our population in 21st century, i.e. 20 crore people will be badly effected by unemployment. It will have evil impact on economic and social fields indirectly as well as directly.

Our system of education is faulty. We stressed in by-gone years on opening more schools; having new schools, colleges and universities. It was essential too.  This cannot be termed an unfair step.  But as per the suggestions of the great Mahatma we did not put stress on changing the educational system according to the need of the time while doing so.  It is owing to that, that education today is not capable of providing employment. I have observed some fulfillment in this direction in Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and many European countries. It is, however, voluntary and exists at higher level.  This will have to be accorded with compulsiveness. We should work in a planned way. Only then we can get rid of the problems in the present century.  It is this very expectation that we now have from education.